Voice Scientist seeking £4m for clinical trials

A PERTH scientist is researching a new t he rapy wh ic h cou ld be used to treat patients with coronavirus.

Dr Christopher McKenzie is part of a team at ICL Therapeutics which is trying to develop a new way to treat patients who have been hospitalised with Covid-19, but have not yet been put on a ventilator.

His research is looking at activating natural killer cells in the body, and finding out whether or not this will prevent lung damage caused by Covid-19-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Currently, there are few effective treatments for lung damage for patients who have been hospitalised with the syndrome, and around two-thirds of coronavirus patients put on ventilators will die.

Dr McKenzie said: “We are currently developing treatment for Covid-19 using interferon alpha 14, which is produced in the body and has natural antiviral properties.

“When they are activated they go round the body and target virally infected cells.

“We are looking to develop a toxicity test before moving to a clinical trial.”

Should this treatment be brought to the market, it would be given to patients as an inhalant.

Dr McKenzie added: “These trials usually take about 18 months, so we are trying to get the funding as quickly as possible to expedite the whole process.

“We want to get the ball rolling but it is a substantial sum we need.

“We are looking for £4 million, which is no small sum, but there are four stages of clinical trials.

“We have had government and private investment over the years, but anything is welcome.”