Histogen (NASDAQ: HSTO) opened its doors in 2007 after heeding to the call of a rising need to develop innovative technologies for aesthetic and therapeutic markets. The discovery by the company’s founder, Dr. Gail Naughton, of the potential of proteins and growth factors produced by cells grown under simulated embryonic conditions triggered a need for unique technologies.
Since this discovery, the company expanded its operations to include developing and carrying out studies on potential first-in-class restorative therapeutics. In the recent past, the company, together with its partner, has announced top-line results from its Phase 1 study of emricasan in mild symptomatic COVID-19 patients. The study carried out throughout 14 days of dosing demonstrated the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of the treatment compared to placebo. On day 7, the treatment seemed to settle down some of the well-known COVID-19 symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, and coughing. Those who used placed did not experience COVID-19 symptoms.
The Study Data will be Critical in the Development of Therapeutic Options for COVID-19.
According to the CEO of Amerimmune LLC, Dr. Oral Alpan, their cooperation with Histogen used the necessary expertise to the emricasan development program. The anticipation is that this is just the beginning of breakthroughs in the advancement of novel therapies.
“The study data…showed complete and early resolution of COVID-19 related symptoms…provided substantial insight into disease mechanism, which will be critical in developing therapeutic options for COVID-19….” Alpin announced.
Adding his voice to Alpin’s sentiments, Histogen’s CEO Richard. W. Pascoe, the partnership will help in charting a strategic course forward for emricasan. More than 950 patients have been studied as subjects for emricasan, and 19 completed clinical trials across a wide range of liver diseases.
Histogen, which acquired certain rights to emricasan as part of its merger with Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc. in 2020, believes that caspase inhibitors can divert the progression of several diseases.