Ensysce, a California Based Biotech Company With a Mission to Solve the Opioid Crisis, Exploring a Treatment for COVID-19

Ensysce Biosciences announced that it is exploring the opportunity to initiate a clinical trial of oral Nafamostat, an ingredient from its opioid overdose protection platform, as a treatment for COVID-19. The goal is to evaluate if nafamostat mesylate (Nafamostat), a synthetic protease inhibitor will be effective in preventing or reducing the lethal outcome of COVID-19 infection. Currently, there are no approved drugs to manage infection with SARS-CoV-2 and nafamostat has shown promise in several studies against Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and more recently SARS-CoV-2. Nafamostat was found to be a potent inhibitor that blocks the viral entry into host cells. Ensysce is planning a Phase 1/2 trial to examine an oral solution of nafamostat, a route of administration that has not been explored for this drug.