SciClone Pharma tests hepatitis drug as COVID-19 vaccine enhancer

SciClone Pharmaceuticals (Holdings)

26/04/2021 08:38

BEIJING, April 26 (Reuters) - China's SciClone
Pharmaceuticals  6600.HK  has begun a clinical trial to test if
its hepatitis B treatment Zadaxin helps to boost immunity
provided by COVID-19 vaccines, it said on Monday.
    SciClone said it is using an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine in
its trial but did not specify which one. Three coronavirus
vaccines approved in China use inactivated virus and have been
developed by China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) and
Sinovac Biotech  SVA.O .
    "In view of the mechanism of action of Thymalfasin (Zadaxin)
and previous clinical studies, the combination with Thymalfasin
may help increase the level of SAR-Cov-2 neutralizing antibody
and prolong the antibody protection time," it said in a
statement.
    The company plans to recruit 200 trial participants across
China and evaluate the safety and ability to elicit immune
responses from the vaccine when combined with Zadaxin.
    It said the drug has been approved as a vaccine enhancer for
the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B and immune
impairment.

 (Reporting by Roxanne Liu and Ryan Woo
Editing by David Goodman)
 ((hongkong.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com; （8610）6627-1277;
Reuters Messaging: roxanne.liu@thomsonreuters.com))