LA JOLLA, Calif. - MediciNova, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company listed on NASDAQ:MNOV and the Tokyo Stock Exchange (4875), has presented new data from a nonclinical study on its drug MN-166 (ibudilast) at the Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting. The study focused on the drug's efficacy in treating acute lung injury (ALI) caused by chlorine gas inhalation in sheep models, which is considered clinically relevant to human conditions.
The study assessed the effects of MN-166 (ibudilast) on pulmonary function, specifically measuring the PaO2/FiO2 ratio, a key indicator of lung oxygenation. The drug was tested in both single-dose and multi-dose regimens, with significant improvements observed in the multi-dose group. Animals treated with a higher dose of MN-166 (ibudilast) showed marked improvement in the PaO2/FiO2 ratio, airway pressures, and lung injury scores, and maintained better cardiac and kidney function compared to other treatment groups.
Notably, all subjects in the high-dose MN-166 (ibudilast) group survived the 48-hour study period, while there were early euthanasias in other groups due to severe injury criteria being met. These results suggest MN-166 (ibudilast) could be a promising candidate for treating ALI, including conditions that meet the criteria for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
MediciNova's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kazuko Matsuda, expressed optimism about the drug's potential based on these findings, previous nonclinical models, and positive outcomes from a clinical trial involving hospitalized COVID-19 patients at risk of developing ARDS.
MN-166 (ibudilast) is a small molecule that inhibits certain enzymes and inflammatory cytokines, and it is in late-stage development for various neurodegenerative diseases and other conditions, including Long COVID and substance use disorder.
The research was partially funded by federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.
This announcement is based on a press release statement.
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