EmitBio Treatment Broadly Effective Against Coronavirus Variants

DURHAM, N.C., March 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- EmitBio Inc., today announced new evidence that demonstrates its proprietary light technology can inactivate variants of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, including the highly infectious United Kingdom and South Africa variants. These findings indicate important effectiveness against potentially more transmissible mutations of COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating globally, most notably the United Kingdom variant, the South African variant, and the Brazilian variant, which all have been found in the U.S. While these variants are being investigated further, CDC notes some of the potential consequences of emerging variants include: the ability to spread more quickly in people; the ability to cause more severe disease; the ability to evade detection by specific viral diagnostic tests; decreased susceptibility to therapeutic agents such as monoclonal antibodies; and the ability to evade natural or vaccine-induced immunity.

"Since last fall we've seen several mutations of SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – some of which may be easier to transmit than COVID-19 and have a higher risk of death," said Neal Hunter, Executive Chairman of EmitBio. "We have clearly demonstrated that EmitBio treatment technology is mutation resistant and resilient. This is an important weapon in the global fight against an enemy that keeps evolving."

In a controlled laboratory environment, precise wavelengths of light achieved >99.9% reduction in viral load of the United Kingdom (UK) variant of SARS-CoV-2 (known as 20I/501Y.V1, VOC 202012/01, or B.1.1.7) and the South Africa variant (known as 20H/501Y.V2 or B.1.351) that emerged independently of B.1.1.7, at doses of energy that have previously proven safe to human tissue. The company has previously demonstrated the ability to inactivate coronaviruses with wide genetic variation (from SARS-CoV-2 to MERS-CoV), providing a basis for the belief that its proprietary light technology would kill SARS-CoV-2 variants. These findings confirm that belief.

"We have repeatedly shown that our light technology is effective at inactivating viral particles before infecting the cell, much like antibodies inactivate viruses and prevent them from entering cells," stated Dr. Adam Cockrell, Director of Virology Research, EmitBio. "This new data demonstrates that this inactivation appears to hold true against these two new SARS-CoV-2 variants. But, unlike monoclonal antibody treatments, the EmitBio mechanism of action is not dependent on SARS-CoV-2 genetics or the configuration of viral spike proteins. This leads to utility as a treatment for currently circulating variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and/or likely future variants."

"We have yet to find a coronavirus or a mutation thereof that our treatment does not kill," continued Hunter.

EmitBio™ has developed a novel, hand-held treatment device* that directs energy into the upper respiratory tract with 100% of the dose available in the area of need, thereby avoiding the possible side effects of systemic treatments. This device has been designed as an at-home treatment for mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. The company recently reported results from a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial with the investigational treatment device, which showed a 99.9% reduction in viral load in adults with COVID-19. These clinical study results confirmed the expectations derived from in-vitro experiments that showed the antiviral effects of safe visible light on SARS-CoV-2. The clinical trial results along with the results from a Phase I safety study in healthy volunteers have been submitted as part of a comprehensive package to the FDA requesting Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).

About EmitBio Inc.
EmitBio Inc. is a life science company using the precise delivery of light to stimulate, heal and protect the body. EmitBio is comprised of a superior team of internationally recognized light science specialists merged with immunology and virology life science experts, prepared to react quickly to the pandemic and rapidly scale manufacturing for lifesaving medical breakthroughs. For more information, visit http://www.emitbio.com/.

EmitBio Inc. is headquartered in Durham, NC and is an operating subsidiary of KNOW Bio LLC. 

*   The EmitBio device is investigational and is not yet available for sale pending FDA action.

Scientific Collaboration:
The research team at EmitBio welcomes inquiries and offers of scientific collaboration from the global research community. Please direct communication to [email protected].

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SOURCE EmitBio Inc.