Boston, MA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/28/2020 --BIOXYTRAN, INC., a developmental stage biotechnology company with a pipeline of anti-necrosis drugs designed to treat hypoxia by delivering a nanoscale oxygen carrier to affected tissues in the brain, heart, lungs, and other vital organs is announcing its intention to explore partnering with international drug companies looking to treat end-stage Wuhan Coronavirus patients that have Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). A majority of late-stage coronavirus patients that end up with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) which has been commonly referred to as Severe Respiratory Distress Syndrome (SRDS) during this latest outbreak.
Until a vaccine is developed traditional methods of containment and prevention are the primary weapons of controlling the disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) there are no known treatments for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus and this represents a growing unmet medical need. The primary cause of death from respiratory viruses like the coronavirus and influenza are the result of the fluids accumulating inside the tiny air sacs of the lungs which ultimately leads to a breakdown of the surfactant lining in the air sacs guiding the transfer of oxygen to the blood. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a progressive disease characterized by low blood oxygen levels due to the buildup of fluids. The only treatment for ARDS is oxygen therapy along with ventilator support. In addition, diuretics are used to help increase urination in order to manage the fluid levels to prevent a buildup of fluid in the lungs. In extreme cases, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), which takes blood out of your body and removes carbon dioxide and returns oxygen to the body could be used.
Bioxytrans lead drug candidate BXT-25 is designed to be 5000 times smaller than blood cells and transport oxygen throughout the body. The half-life of BXT-25 is 9 hours and will continuously circulate until it's processed by the liver. During this time it will receive oxygen from the lungs and deliver it to organs and tissues throughout the body that need it. In the case of ARDS, the diffusion of oxygen to the blood in the alveoli is compromised, but the small size of BXT-25 should allow it to get closer to the oxygen in the lungs. These oxygen carriers flow freely throughout the body, especially to the vital organs. As long as these organs continue to receive oxygen, the patient can survive. This therapy should provide the patient with enough time to recover. Eventually, the body's own immune system will kill the virus and enable the patient to enjoy a full recovery.
"This could be a major advancement in the treatment of end-stage patients infected with the Wuhan Coronavirus," said CEO David Platt of Bioxytran Inc. "In situations like this pandemic, where resources are stretched to their limits, we are looking to develop a common-sense solution to improve the mortality rate of this disease right away. Vaccines could be the answer, but they take time. We believe that potential partners will recognize that we have an immediate solution to treat acute patients with BXT-25. Even if an acute patient beats the disease down to a zero viral load they could still die from the ARDS. To fight the disease on another front, we also have the opportunity to upgrade the MDX Viewer to enable remote monitoring. The FDA approved the MDX Viewer to measure the tissue metabolic score, which is capable of predicting organ failure. Having a diagnostic that measures the oxygen consumption of the organs not only helps triage patients, but it also enables researchers to conduct clinical trials in real-time by measuring the oxygen consumption in the organs after the drug was taken. The primary reason the coronavirus is so lethal is because the body fails to deliver oxygen. This is such a fundamental concept that we feel confident that we will be successful partnering for the ARDS due to the Wuhan Coronavirus indication."
"BXT-25 represents a way to deliver oxygen to tissue without the intervention of the alveoli," said Dr. Juan Carlos Lopez-Talavera, Bioxtyran's Medical Advisor. "The only treatment for ARDS patients is a ventilator and in extreme situations extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), which takes blood out of your body and removes carbon dioxide and returns oxygen to the body. In ARDS patients, we believe the molecule will diffuse into and out of the fluid in the alveoli in order to achieve oxygenation of the molecule. Reports from the CDC have indicated that the mortality rate is disproportionately higher for the elderly or those with underlying medical conditions. In ARDS alone the mortality rate is 60% in individuals over age 85. BXT-25 is not expected to have any side effects."
About MDX Life Sciences Inc.
MDX Life Sciences, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing autologous transplantation techniques for tissue and organ regeneration. The focus of the development programs is on Myocardial Ischemia, reperfusion injury, Epilepsy, Traumatic Brain Injury, and neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases. These diseases include Huntington's disease, Multiple Sclerosis/Optic Neuritis, Wolfram Syndrome, Epilepsy, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. Continuing research has linked these diseases to various malfunctions of the mitochondria. Mitochondrial transplantation is a procedure that can open up the possibilities of disease-modifying treatments resulting in tissue regeneration which would be a clear clinical endpoint for almost all these diseases. Using the TMS calculated by the MDX Viewer will open up a new era in monitoring of patients during operations as well as in the Intensive Care Units. For additional info on our MDX Lifesciences, please visit www.mdxlifesciences.com
About 2019 Novel Coronavirus
The 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China. The origin of 2019-nCoV is uncertain and it is unclear how easily the virus spreads. 2019-nCov is thought to be transmitted person to person through respiratory droplets, commonly resulting from coughing sneezing and close personal contact. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing illness in people and others that circulate among animals. For confirmed 2019-nCoV infections, symptoms have included fever, cough, and shortness of breath. It is believed that symptoms of 2019-nCoV may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days prior to exposure, and that symptoms in patients have ranged from non-existent to severe and fatal. There are currently no known anti-viral treatments effective at suppressing 2019-nCoV.
About Bioxytran, Inc.
Bioxytran Inc. is a developmental stage biotechnology company. The company is working towards a first-in-class oxygen treatment platform for victims of brain stroke trauma. The first product to proceed to testing is BXT-25, which will be evaluated as a resuscitative agent to treat strokes, especially during the all-critical first hour following a stroke. The product will also be evaluated for its efficacy in treating other brain trauma issues. BXT-25 is based on a new molecule designed to reverse hypoxia in the brain. Hypoxic brain injuries such as ischemic strokes could be treated with BXT-25 via an intravenous injection that quickly allows the drug molecule to travel to the lungs and bind with the oxygen molecules. From the lungs, the molecule mimics a red blood cell traveling to the brain. Since the molecule is 5,000 times smaller than red blood cells it can penetrate the clot and deliver the oxygen to the critical areas in the brain blocked by the clot. The MDX Viewer will be used in the evaluation of the safety and efficacy of the BXT-25. To learn more, visit our website: http://www.Bioxytraninc.com
CONTACT:
David Platt
david.platt@bioxytraninc.com
617-510-2539