From the start of the pandemic, researchers, scientists, and antivirus specialists have worked around the clock to find a way to treat COVID-19. Codivir, an innovative new drug from Code Pharma, now appears to have the potential to revolutionize the fight against the virus. In a successful phase 1 clinical trial, the affected patients were back on their feet within 48 hours without side effects.

Zyon Ayni, Founder and CEO of Code Pharma, “Codivir showed great success in clinical trials and already has received emergency approvals in different countries for the treatment of coronavirus patients. Our team at Code Pharma are now initiating a multi-country phase 2 study with a larger cohort and has submitted additional emergency approval requests to several affected countries. Our phase 1 study with Codivir in Brazil has proven the medication to be safe, and we were able also to demonstrate a reduction in the viral load of the patients during the course of the treatment.”

Codivir, a short synthetic 16 amino-acid peptide, derived from the HIV-1 integrase, was originally found in preclinical and clinical examinations to combat the HIV virus. Subsequent in-vitro studies conducted on behalf of Code Pharma at the British virology research laboratory Virology Research Services in London confirmed a potent antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and other RNA viruses such as influenza.

Code Pharma, which was specifically set up to develop groundbreaking medical solutions, then ran a Phase 1 clinical trial of Codivir in patients with COVID-19, approved in Brazil by the National Research Ethics Commission (CONEP). The trial was conducted at Casa de Saúde, Vera Cruz Hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, with Dr Florentino Cardoso and results showed that Codivir has a high safety profile while significantly suppressing viral load with an antiviral effect noted as early as three days. 

“Our phase 2 controlled study will be conducted in Spain, Brazil, South Africa, and Israel, with a larger cohort. In view of the submitted emergency approval requests and to meet the expected demand, the company is preparing for mass production of Codivir in different sites worldwide, starting in parallel with the phase 2 trial,” added Zyon.

Code Pharma experts currently working on the project include Dr. Eynat Finkelshtein and Dr. Esmira Naftali and supporting the clinical trials are Dr Yotam Kolben from the Department of Medicine at Hadassah Medical Center and Prof Shlomo L. Maayan, Director Infectious Disease division at the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon. They found Codivir showing impressive antiviral effect, both in laboratory conditions and in phase 1 clinical trial in humans. 

“We are in contact with governments all over the world and expect to get emergency approvals from a substantial number of them by the end of a successful phase II study. We are currently in Dubai and looking for local partners in the UAE and other countries to do local production and distribution,” concluded Zyon.