Poolbeg Pharma PLC on Monday said initial data analysis in its POLB 001 LPS challenge trial indicated a clear anti-inflammatory response.

The London-based infectious disease focused biopharmaceutical company said its POLB 001 treatment demonstrated a reduction in systemic and localised inflammatory response in comparison to volunteers given a placebo.

POLB 001 is a bacterial lipopolysaccharide treatment being developed to ‘address the significant unmet medical need for severe influenza,’ the Poolbeg said. The company added that it is ‘strain agnostic’, meaning that it is not affected by seasonal influenza variants, which gives it ‘significant advantage over treatments available on the market.

The trial evaluated the effect of POLB 001 on inflammatory responses in 36 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 55, following both an intradermal and intravenous LPS challenge. Poolbeg said the treatment was well tolerated, with no serious adverse effects or volunteer withdrawals.

The trial also proved that there was a clear dose-response relationship, it said.

A full data readout for the trial is expected in the second quarter of 2023.

Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Skillingotn said: ’The clear anti-inflammatory dose response, with no serious adverse events, further demonstrates the strong potential for POLB 001 to address the significant unmet medical need in severe influenza and beyond. We look forward to presenting the full data in Q2 2023.‘

He added: ’We are delighted to have completed our first clinical trial on schedule, delivering on our business model of rapidly generating early human clinical data.‘

Poolbeg shares were up 23% trading at 9.00 pence per share on Monday afternoon in London.

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