Using its spike protein, the COVID-19 virus binds to a human protein called ACE2 – like a key being inserted into a lock – and subsequently enters and infects the cell.
Masker MedTech AB (Malmö, Sweden), in collaboration with the Lund University, Sweden, today announced that intranasal administration of 2MA1, Masker’s inhalational drug candidate against all current and future SARS-CoV-2 variants, significantly prevented death in a mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Importantly, body weight and clinical status were also significantly less impacted in drug- (vs. placebo-) treated transgenic mice expressing human ACE2 (the receptor used by the COVID-19 virus to enter lung cells). Moreover, 2MA1 showed a significant systemic anti-inflammatory effect, as demonstrated by lower levels of C-reactive protein in the blood of drug-treated mice versus placebo controls. Notably, in another - in vitro - model of COVID-19 infection, treatment with 2MA1 increased the viability of cultured monkey epithelial cells expressing ACE2 in the presence of SARS-CoV-2. Importantly, the increase in viability was more pronounced with 2MA1 than with remdesivir, an antiviral agent with Emergency Use Authorization status from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
About 2MA1: Using its spike protein, the COVID-19 virus binds to a human protein called ACE2 – like a key being inserted into a lock – and subsequently enters and infects the cell. 2MA1 is a protein-based drug candidate for inhalation in nebulized and dry-powder format for the treatment of COVID-19 specifically designed to imitate the membrane-bound human enzyme ACE2, the cellular doorway for SARS-CoV-2. While virus-binding to membrane-bound ACE2 is required for the cell entry of the COVID-19 virus, inhaled 2MA1 (a modified soluble form of human ACE2) administered by inhalation prevents viral entry into human respiratory cells. Masker’s drug principle thus builds on blocking the cell entry of SARS-CoV-2 and thus on minimizing lung inflammation and damage.
The novel protein-based antiviral inhalational drug, 2MA1, developed by Masker MedTech AB, is being advanced towards human clinical trials to prevent and treat COVID-19.
About the company: Masker MedTech AB is a Swedish shareholder company established in 2020, with headquarters in Malmö, Sweden. The company was launched by the inventors around a ground-breaking idea designed to tackle COVID-19. The invention and the strong academic background and affiliation to Lund university of the founders have attracted some major names in the business and academic world both as early investors and as members of the board of directors.
Acknowledgment: Masker MedTech AB acknowledges funding from VINNOVA, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems (project: “Development of an inhaled biological agent for COVID-19").
Contact:
Balazs Dome, MD, PhD,
CEO, Masker MedTech AB
Email: balazs.dome@maskermedtech.com
and
Gyorgy Marko-Varga, PhD
Head of R&D, Masker MedTech AB
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Sweden
Email: gyorgy.marko-varga@bme.lth.se
Web: www.maskermedtech.com