IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--While studying the genetics of the androgen receptor, a team of scientists discovered a possible breakthrough treatment for COVID-19.
The team led by Andy Goren, MD from Applied Biology, Flavio A. Cadegiani, MD, MSc, PhD from Corpometria Institute in Brazil, along with other collaborators, have published their discovery in several medical journals. The manuscript, “What Does Androgenetic Alopecia have to do with COVID-19? An Insight into a Potential New Therapy” (doi: 10.1111/dth.13365), elucidates the possible role of androgens in controlling the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in human lung cells.
According to Dr. Goren, “Our earlier discovery potentially links SARS-CoV-2 infectivity to androgens, the same hormones implicated in male pattern baldness and prostate cancer; thus, anti-androgens originally developed for prostate cancer may prove a breakthrough therapy for COVID-19. One of the most promising anti-androgens is proxalutamide, a next generation anti-androgen.”
The study on the effects of proxalutamide on COVID-19 has received national IRB approval and will be conducted in Brasilia, Brazil, in non-hospitalized patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 disease. Recruitment of volunteers should start this week.
According to Dr. Cadegiani, “We are excited to commence this study that could potentially benefit millions of patients and change the course of COVID-19.”
More information about the study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04446429) is available at clinicaltrials.gov (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04446429?term=NCT04446429&draw=2&rank=1).
The approval was received on September 17th, 2020 from the IRB of the National Board of Ethics Committee (CONEP), from the Brazilian Ministry of Health, under the name “The Proxa-AndroCoV Trial”, number (CAAE) 36700320.8.0000.0023.
ABOUT APPLIED BIOLOGY
Founded in 2002, Applied Biology, Inc. (www.appliedbiology.com), headquartered in Irvine, California, is a biotechnology company specializing in hair and skin science. Applied Biology develops breakthrough drugs and medical devices for the treatment of androgen mediated dermatological conditions. Applied Biology's R&D pipeline includes a topically applied prophylactic treatment for chemotherapy induced alopecia; a novel diagnostic device that can aid dermatologists in identifying non-responders to topical minoxidil; an adjuvant therapy for non-responders to topical minoxidil; and a novel therapy for female pattern hair loss.
ABOUT CORPOMETIRA INSTITUTE
Corpometria institute was founded in 2013, and is focused on treating, researching and optimizing healthcare of the major unsolved endocrine-related conditions, including patients with obesity, sarcopenia, menopause and andropause, chronic fatigue and burnout, undertrained athletes, and rare metabolic and endocrine diseases.
Corpometria R&D pipeline includes three major clusters: amplifying genetic testing, epigenetic influences and metabolomic analyses of patients with not-fully clarified metabolic and endocrine-related illnesses; development of machine learning and AI-based algorithm for personalized metabolic responses and changes to specific eating, exercising and sleeping characteristics; and full elucidation of endocrine physiology of the sport, including specific hormonal and metabolic responses and adaptations to sports according to intensity, volume, frequency and type of physical activity, and in combination with a variety of nutritional, psychological, social, and sleeping characteristics.
