Beyond Air

• Category: Pharma
• Investment Status: IPO
• Medical Field: Pulmonary Medicine
• Development Status: Clinical trials
• Medical Center: Soroka Medical Center and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

• Inventors: Prof. David Greenberg and Prof. Yossi Av-Gay
  

Background:  Nitric Oxide (NO) is a naturally produced, active gas and is part of the body’s innate immune response. NO has been shown to inhibit the growth of bacteria and basically functions as a killer molecule. NO has also been demonstrated to keep blood vessels open. AIT scientists (through their work in UBC) has shown the NO can be used as a new medicine by inhalation to prevent and cure serious lung and throat infections

Technology: Beyond Air is an emerging Israeli biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of nitric oxide (NO) formulations for the treatment of lung infections. Beyond Air’s pipeline includes therapies for Bronchiolitis (mainly RSV- Respiratory Syncytial Virus), Cystic Fibrosis (CF), Pneumonia, Asthma, and Influenza.

Beyond Air’s scientists have successfully completed in vivo experiments and Phase I clinical trials at the University of British Columbia, Canada, and have shown that the patented dose of NO is safe for human treatment by inhalation. The company has acquired the technology and the associated clinical trials data from the University of British Columbia.

Nitric oxide is a gas that is naturally produced by the body and plays a major role in innate immunity. It is a small, unstable gas molecule that acts as an anti-infective agent. The company uses nitric oxide in a unique dose that enables direct and effective delivery to the lungs. NO is efficient in treating a wide spectrum of diseases, including upper respiratory tract infections and pulmonary infectious diseases.

Advantages:

• NO is a naturally occurring substance in the body, has a short half-life and very low toxicity.
• NO antimicrobial activity has a broad scope – active against bacteria, fungi and viruses.
• NO is not an antibiotic drug, hence bacteria do not develop resistance.
• NO has already been approved by the FDA, at a lower concentration, for use in treating “blue babies” and neonates with premature lungs. It is also being used in patients with respiratory failure in all age groups.
• NO has the added benefit of being a vasodilator- enabling better circulation and enhanced supply of immune cells to the treated area.

 

http://www.ait-pharm.com