Eiger BioPharmaceuticals Stock Rises Single-dose Peginterferon Lambda for COVID-19 Reduced Risk of Hospitalization or ER Visits by 50% in Phase 3 Study
Mar 17, 2022 By MarketDepth
Eiger BioPharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: EIGR) share jumped more than 30% after the commercial-stage biopharmaceutical announced that Peginterferon Lambda (Lambda) significantly reduced the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalizations or emergency room visits greater than six hours by 50% (primary endpoint) and death by 60% in the Phase 3 TOGETHER study, a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of non-hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19, who are at high risk of progressing to severe illness.
“These data demonstrate that a single subcutaneous injection of Lambda has the potential to be a convenient, ‘one and done’ treatment to reduce the severity of COVID-19, reducing hospitalizations and death – even in a vaccinated population. With the continued global impact of COVID-19, we are encouraged by this data and look forward to supporting the global public health response. We’re thankful to the patients, investigators, and sites who participated in this clinical trial, and we look forward to discussing these results with FDA and submitting an EUA application to add Lambda to the evolving armamentarium of COVID-19 therapeutics.”
Eiger President and CEO, David Cory
Lambda stimulates immune responses critical to innate defenses with a mechanism of action potentially agnostic to variants of SARS-CoV-2 and resistance concerns with other treatments. If authorized, Lambda could be prescribed more broadly to help reduce illness severity, hospitalizations, and deaths, as well as reduce the probability of infection following exposure, among adults.
“Lambda has demonstrated a reduction of risk in COVID-19-related hospitalizations or deaths in this clinical study in a predominantly vaccinated population, something that no other investigational drug has achieved – this is a game-changing event. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a global public health emergency, and outpatient treatments that can be quickly and efficiently administered to newly diagnosed SARS-CoV-2 patients are desperately needed with a goal of reducing COVID-19 complications.”
Principal Investigator, Professor of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact at McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, Edward Mills, PhD, who is leading the TOGETHER study with Co-Investigator, Associate Professor of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, Gilmar Reis, MD, PhD
