Resverlogix Corp. announced that the first Brazilian site has been initiated for its Phase 2b study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Canadian-developed apabetalone as a potential oral treatment for COVID-19. Additionally, the second Canadian site, in Calgary, Alberta, has also been initiated.

A further five sites in Brazil and a third Canadian site, in Toronto, Ontario, will also be coming on line soon. Apabetalone's unique dual epigenetic mechanism may help stop disease progression by regulating the expression of disease and inflammation causing genes, without altering DNA. Through this mechanism, apabetalone has the potential to address both the viral and the more deadly inflammatory aspects of COVID-19.

In the randomized, open-label trial, study participants will either receive twice daily oral doses of apabetalone or, alternatively, standard of care alone. A total of 100 patients are expected to be enrolled over the coming weeks, at multiple sites in Brazil and Canada. The primary outcome measure of the study will be a change in the WHO Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement – a standardized method of assessing COVID-19 disease severity on an 8-point scale.

Secondary endpoints will include evaluating the effect of apabetalone on biomarkers of inflammation.