Bucillamine Shows Promise for Long COVID Treatment as Revive Therapeutics Expands Research
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Feb 04, 2025 4 hours, 39 minutes ago
Pharma News: Revive Therapeutics, a specialty life sciences company, has intensified its research and development efforts to explore the potential of Bucillamine for treating Long COVID and other medical conditions. Bucillamine, an oral drug with strong anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, has been used for over 30 years in Japan and South Korea for rheumatoid arthritis. Recent studies suggest that this compound could also offer benefits for patients suffering from Long COVID.
Bucillamine Shows Promise for Long COVID Treatment as Revive Therapeutics Expands Research
The company's research spans two primary areas: infectious diseases, particularly Long COVID, and medical countermeasures, including treatments for nerve agent exposure. This
Pharma News report explores the latest advancements in these research initiatives and what they mean for the future of healthcare.
Bucillamine and Its Potential Against Long COVID
Long COVID is a persistent condition that affects individuals who have recovered from the initial COVID-19 infection but continue to experience lingering symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, and respiratory issues. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 7.5% of U.S. adults suffer from Long COVID, which has led researchers to explore potential treatments.
Revive Therapeutics recently concluded a Phase 3 clinical trial that evaluated Bucillamine’s effectiveness in treating COVID-19. The results showed a 29.1% improvement over a placebo in restoring normal oxygen saturation levels in patients who initially had oxygen levels below 96%. Encouraged by these findings, the company is now designing a Phase 2 study focused specifically on Long COVID. The protocol for this study is expected to be submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by the first quarter of 2025, with approval anticipated in the second quarter.
A separate study, titled Thiol-based drugs decrease binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to its receptor and inhibit SARS-CoV-2 cell entry, provided further scientific support for Bucillamine’s potential. The study demonstrated that thiol-based drugs, like Bucillamine, can reduce the ability of the virus to attach to human cells and lower infection rates.
These promising findings strengthen the argument for Bucillamine’s role as a potential Long COVID treatment.
Medical Countermeasures: Bucillamine for Nerve Agent Exposure
Beyond infectious diseases, Revive Therapeutics is also exploring Bucillamine’s application in medical countermeasures, particularly as a treatment for nerve agent exposure. Nerve agents such as sarin, soman, tabun, and VX are highly toxic and can cause life-threatening symptoms, including respiratory failure, convulsions, and death.
Revive has partnered with Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) to investigate Bucillamine’s ability to mitigate the effects of nerve agent exposure. This
research builds upon existing studies that show antioxidant compounds like N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) can improve seizure control and enhance the effectiveness of anticonvulsant drugs such as diazepam. Since Bucillamine is 16 times more potent as a thiol donor than NAC, researchers believe it could provide even greater neuroprotection.
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/01/08/3006148/0/en/Revive-Therapeutics-Provides-Update-on-Research-Study-Evaluating-Bucillamine-for-Nerve-Agent-Exposure.html
The study with DRDC is scheduled for completion in February 2025. If successful, these findings could pave the way for FDA and Health Canada approvals for Bucillamine’s use in nerve agent and pesticide poisoning cases, as well as its potential applications in treating traumatic brain injuries and concussions.
Legal and Financial Challenges for Revive Therapeutics
Despite its promising research, Revive Therapeutics faces some financial hurdles. The company recently agreed to a consent judgment concerning an arbitration award of approximately €301,806.50 and USD $160,800, plus additional costs. As part of this agreement, enforcement of the judgment has been delayed until May 22, 2025, giving the company time to settle its financial obligations.
While financial challenges can slow down research progress, Revive remains committed to advancing its Bucillamine programs. The company has previously secured guidance from the FDA on the clinical trial process, and it continues to explore funding opportunities to support ongoing research and regulatory approvals.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Bucillamine Research
Revive Therapeutics has made significant strides in repurposing Bucillamine for Long COVID and nerve agent treatment. With strong scientific backing, an established safety profile, and encouraging preliminary data, Bucillamine could emerge as a valuable therapeutic option in the coming years. However, much work remains before the drug can receive FDA approval for these new indications.
If Bucillamine proves effective in treating Long COVID, it could offer relief to millions of individuals suffering from prolonged post-infection symptoms.
Similarly, its potential role in counteracting nerve agent poisoning could provide a crucial defense mechanism for military and civilian populations at risk of chemical exposure.
As the research progresses, Revive Therapeutics continues to engage with regulatory agencies, refine clinical trial designs, and seek collaborations to accelerate development. The medical community and affected individuals alike will be closely watching these developments, hoping for a breakthrough that can address these pressing health challenges.
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Read Also:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8787611/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1527-3466.2003.tb00107.x
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/indonesian-and-malaysian-researchers-find-that-the-phytochemical-apigenin-shows-promise-in-managing-long-covid
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/long-covid
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