Supernitro vs Covid-19
Only a small proportion of all the people who catch Covid-19 get critically ill. But due to the enormous spread of Covid-19 around the world, the Covid-related death toll is estimated to be almost 7 million people. Although Covid-19 cases have decreased, the virus is still here and people are still being infected and die from the disease, especially those above age 70 and/or immunocompromised. Protection against Covid-19, whether from vaccination or earlier infections, wanes over time.
Why do just some people get critically ill?
We do not have the whole answer. But at high risk are mainly elderly people – and especially those who have fragile health due to underlying diseases, weakened immune systems and other aggravating health conditions. In these severe cases of Covid-19, a life-threatening form of pneumonia often occurs as the virus attacks and damages the cells in the respiratory tract and blood vessels of the lungs. This often leads to high blood pressure in the lungs, so-called pulmonary hypertension – with shortness of breath, lack of oxygen and threatening organ failure as a result.
Researchers from Attgeno have been involved in studies aimed at observing the importance of acute pulmonary hypertension in relation to the outcome in patients with severe Covid-19. In an observational study looking at patients treated in intensive care due to Covid-19, the mortality in the group that developed pulmonary hypertension in association with the disease was almost increased six-fold compared to patients who did not develop pulmonary hypertension.
In younger and healthy people, the airways and blood vessels are protected by the fact that the cells normally produce and supply large amounts of nitric oxide (NO) to the respiratory tract and the vascular system of the lungs. The body’s own NO has a relaxing and dilating effect on the blood vessels – and thus counteracts high blood pressure through the lungs and breathing problems.
As we get older, our own body’s nitric oxide decreases
At the age of 70, we normally have only about 10 percent left of our body’s own production of NO. It makes us very vulnerable to attacks in the airways and pulmonary vascular system. Without the sufficient amount of NO, elderly people have a weakened protection against pulmonary hypertension – which is a common complication in many serious diseases and health conditions, apart from Covid-19. In addition, the high pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs often leads to further complications. The heart and other vital organs can be severely damaged and the situation can quickly become life-threatening. Continued treatment of the patient may require respiratory assistance and other intensive care measures.
To decrease the high blood pressure in the lungs only, is crucial
Nitric oxide is today an approved and well-proven drug to generally dilate the body’s blood vessels. But to treat the acutely elevated pressure in only the blood circulation through the lungs and restore the oxygenation of the blood, it is necessary to do so without simultaneously affecting the blood circulation in the rest of the body – as it can lead to a dangerous general drop in blood pressure.
Unfortunately, today there is no drug that has the selective effect instantly and effectively enough. Which is just why we have developed our drug candidate Supernitro.
Supernitro should be given intravenously. When Supernitro reaches the lungs, it instantly releases all of its NO to the blood vessels and airways of the lungs. Supernitro lowers the increased pressure in the blood circulation through the lungs and also replaces the loss of the body’s own NO. Our theory is that this might prevent right heart failure, increase oxygenation of the blood and improving breathing.
Nitric oxide also has an antiviral effect on Covid-19, inhibiting the replication of the virus itself, which is now prevented from attaching to the airways, to enter the cells and to go further into the blood circulation. Attgeno is working on a hypothesis that this could have the potential to prevent the development towards what could otherwise be a life-threatening condition.
Another potential positive effect of NO is that the drug counteracts the formation of so-called microthrombi – small blood clots that can create organ failures.
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