Novel treatment of cardiopulmonary failure in covid-19
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Attgeno AB |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 5 000 000 |
| Project duration | October 2020 - April 2023 |
| Status | Completed |
| Venture | Collaborative projects for research and innovation associated to the corona pandemic |
Important results from the project
The project aimed to study the effect of the selective pulmonary vasodilator drug candidate Supernitro (PDNO) in patients with Covid-19 induced acute pulmonary hypertension (APH). The background was that APH in these was shown to be associated with a dramatically increased mortality risk. The study was opened at two intensive care clinics in the spring of 2021, but as a result of a drastic reduction in the number of available patients, the study ended in May 2023 without any patients being included. Thus, the main goal of the Project was not achieved.
Expected long term effects
Although the project has not resulted in the basic question being answered, despite this, there are lasting positive effects of the project including: 1. Knowledge of the importance of APH in Covid-19 has increased as part of the project 2. A protocol has been developed as minor modifications could be used for studies of infection-induced APH in a broader sense (not limited to Covid-19) where knowledge from the problems related to the current study could be taken into account. Through the study, the company has established a valuable network that can be used for new studies.
Approach and implementation
Part of the difficulty in recruiting patients was that the Study, during a period where there was a relatively good supply of patients, had to be stopped due to investigate an unexpected event in the concurrently ongoing Phase 1 study with Supernitro. It would have been valuable if the Phase 1 study had already been completed and the results of it could have been taken into account in the study design, at the same time patients died daily for lack of efficient treatment. Informed consent would have been easier to obtain in countries where this in some circumstances can be given by a relative.