Study: Experimental Drug Promises Treatment for Patients with Life-Threatening Respiratory Syndrome

SadaNews - Results from a limited trial of an experimental antibody-based drug suggest that doctors may soon have a better option for treating acute respiratory distress syndrome, a lung condition that often leads to death.

The syndrome occurs when injuries or infections trigger a series of inflammatory reactions that cause fluids to leak into the lungs, resulting in a sharp drop in blood oxygen levels.

The researchers conducting the study stated that approximately 500,000 people are diagnosed with this condition annually in the United States, and 40 percent of them do not survive, according to Reuters.

Dr. Joe G. Garcia, the study leader from the Scripps Research Institute at the University of Florida, said: "There are no FDA-approved treatments for these patients, and given the unacceptably high mortality rates and the prevalence of the disease, acute respiratory distress syndrome remains one of the biggest unmet medical needs."

In the initial U.S. study to prove efficacy, 15 patients were randomly recorded to receive the monoclonal antibody "ALT-100," developed by Aqualung Therapeutics with support from grants from the National Institutes of Health, or received a placebo.

"ALT-100" targets an enzyme known as "NAMP-T", which is a key regulator of inflammation in the body.

During the 28-day follow-up period, patients who received the antibody "ALT-100" needed ventilators for an average of seven days to aid their breathing, compared to about 14 days for patients who received the placebo.

The "ALT-100" group also recorded lower levels of inflammatory markers in the blood and fewer cases of organ failure, which is the leading cause of deaths associated with the syndrome, according to the study results published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

The researchers reported that safety issues and side effects were similar between the two groups. Garcia confirmed: "Although we were able to enroll only 15 patients in the study, the data we are getting is incredibly impressive."

He noted that he is seeking funding to conduct a larger clinical trial, adding that he has received approval from the FDA to study the effects of "ALT-100" on patients with worsening pulmonary fibrosis, a disease characterized by the accumulation of scar tissue in the lungs.