A Shenzhen-based company is in cooperation with the U.S.-based AIM ImmunoTech Inc. with the goal of developing Ampligen as a potential inhalation therapy for COVID-19 and other respiratory viral diseases, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported yesterday.
AIM reported June 14 last year that its drug Ampligen had been featured in a paper detailing state-of-the-art methodologies in the peer-reviewed medical journal Cancers as a potential treatment option for cancer patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19.
“We are working closely with AIM to provide safe inhalation devices for its drug Ampligen, and explore the application of atomization technology in COVID treatment,” said Shi Zhiqiang, chief scientist and global R&D director of Shenzhen Smoore Technology Ltd. “The cooperation has entered the clinical research stage,” he added.
In April 2020, AIM entered into the material transfer and research agreement to study the utilization of an innovative Smoore inhalation delivery device and Ampligen as a potential treatment approach for the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a well-known listed pharmaceutical company in the U.S., AIM is committed to the research and development of drugs for treating various cancers, immune disorders and viral diseases. Ampligen is the company’s immunomodulator and interferon inducer.
While Smoore developed Ampligen’s safe atomization inhalation device, AIM studied Ampligen’s safety and effectiveness on human respiratory epithelial cells using in vitro 3D model. The results showed that Ampligen could reduce the generation of the infectious COVID-19 virus loads by 90% at the clinical dose level, and a nasal cavity safety test was also carried out, the Daily report said.
According to Smoore Technology’s public financial report, it is currently the world’s largest manufacturer of electronic atomization equipment, accounting for 18.9% of the total global market share. It was listed in Hong Kong in 2020, with a total market value of more than HK$100 billion (US$12.8 billion).
Smoore is located in Bao’an District. The district government recently issued several measures on promoting the high-quality development of advanced manufacturing and modern service industries, which mentioned encouragement and support for the “new electronic atomization equipment” industry. This is the first time that the “electronic atomization equipment” has been written into a local government’s official work plan.