NanoViricides, Inc. reported that the clinical trial of its broad-spectrum antiviral drug NV-CoV-2 is progressing satisfactorily. NanoViricides is a clinical-stage global leader in the development of highly effective antiviral therapies based on a novel nanomedicines platform. NV-CoV-2 (API NV-387), lead drug candidate for the treatment of coronavirus infections including COVID and potentially many cases of long COVID, is in Phase1a/1b Safety and Preliminary Efficacy Human Clinical Trials initiated by the Drug Sponsor Karveer Meditech Pvt.

Ltd. India, the Company's Licensee and co-developer in India. Following safety and tolerability evaluation in healthy persons for a single escalating dose of NV-CoV-2 Oral Gummies in the Part 1a, the clinical trial will continue into Part 1b if there are no serious adverse events. Phase 1a is Progressing Rapidly: Enrollment in the third and highest single dose level of 40mg/Kg NV-CoV-2 oral Syrup, and separately, 2,000mg NV-CoV-2O Oral Gummy has already begun.

The lowest dose cohorts in the clinical trial (10mg/Kg Oral Syrup, and separately, 500mg Gummy) have completed, and the middle dose cohorts (20mg/Kg OralSyrup, and separately, 1,000mg Gummy) have been substantially completed allowing the highest dose cohorts to begin. Each person after dosing is under observation (in-hospital stay) for 48 hrs, followed by a scheduled follow-up visit. There were no adverse events to date at any of the dose levels including the highest dosages.

Additionally, in Phase 1b, in separate cohorts, patients with mild to moderate/severe COVID-19 shall be enrolled to assess indication of efficacy. Patients deemed by the physician to be likely to require hospitalization within 48 hrs of screening will be excluded. NV-387 is designed as a bio-mimetic that can possibly be an effective drug against many viruses including the coronaviruses.

If successful, it is poised to satisfy many as yet unmet medical needs for the global population, not just limited to COVID. "Resistance is Futile": NV-387, the active pharmaceutical ingredient of NV-CoV-2 is designed to mimic a cell membrane with a number of so called "attachment receptor sites" chemically covalently connected to each polymer chain in the nanomicelle. No matter how much a virus changes, it still binds to the same attachment receptor(s), and therefore, it is unlikely to escape the nanoviricide drug.

This design believe solves the major issue of small molecule as well as antibody therapeutics, namely, development of resistant virus variants.