Rhizen Pharmaceuticals Announces US FDA Acceptance of its IND Application for RP7214 in SARS-CoV-2 Infection; Phase 1 Clinical Trial of RP7214 Set to Begin Early December 2020
1.12.2020 18:01:00 EET | Business Wire | Press release
Rhizen Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage oncology-focussed biopharmaceutical company, today announced the approval of its Investigational New Drug (IND) application by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to study its oral DHODH inhibitor for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The company announced that initial study shall evaluate single ascending doses of RP7214 in healthy volunteers and that dosing is expected to commence in early December 2020. The company also announces positive feedback from the FDA during its pre-IND discussion on its plans to follow-up this study with a multiple-ascending dose study in Covid-19 patients.
Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHOHD) is a key enzyme involved in pyrimidine biosynthesis in the cell. RP7214 is potentially a best-in-class selective DHODH inhibitor that has shown potent inhibition of Covid-19 viral replication. RP7214 has also been studied extensively across multiple inflammation models where it has demonstrated excellent anti-inflammatory activity. Further, the IND-enabling preclinical studies have shown RP7214 to be orally available, safe and tolerable with predictable dose-linear pharmacokinetics. The host-based mechanism of RP7214 could allow complementary combinations with direct acting anti-viral drugs, while the broad anti-inflammatory action could potentially mitigate the cytokine mediated inflammatory symptoms typically seen in SARS-CoV-2 & other viral infections.
Swaroop Vakkalanka, President & CEO of Rhizen Pharmaceuticals said “There is an exceptional need for oral antiviral drugs that are suitable for Covid-19 treatment across all hospital and out-patient settings. We are pleased to advance RP7214 into a Phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of Covid-19 under a US FDA IND. RP7214 has a unique preclinical profile, high oral bioavailability, robust anti-viral potency and broad anti-inflammatory role, that we expect will translate in the clinic and support its eventual development as a potential treatment for Covid-19”.
About Rhizen Pharmaceuticals S.A.:
Rhizen Pharmaceuticals is an innovative, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel onco-therapeutics. Since its establishment in 2008, Rhizen has created a diverse pipeline of proprietary drug candidates targeting several cancers and immune associated cellular pathways. Rhizen is headquartered in La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. For additional information, please visit www.rhizen.com
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201201005815/en/
Contact information
Samyukta Bhagwati
Manager, Corporate Affairs & Communications
Rhizen Pharmaceuticals S.A.
Telephone: +41 32 580 0113
Email: corpcomm@rhizen.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
ITC Infotech Strengthens Strategic Tech Partnership With British American Tobacco (BAT) in New Multi-year Mandate12.8.2026 13:30:00 EEST | Press release
ITC Infotech, a leading global technology services and solutions provider, today announced a landmark multi‑year strategic technology deal with British American Tobacco (BAT). Along with BAT, ITC Infotech will accelerate the transformation of BAT’s technology landscape to drive AI-enabled innovation, strengthen skills, and improve efficiencies. In this expanded partnership, ITC Infotech will provide technology services to BAT across Poland, Romania and India. ITC Infotech will also continue to collaborate with BAT to scale capabilities at the newly launched BAT Future Capabilities Centre in India, while supporting BAT’s existing technology hubs in Malaysia and Mexico. This new strategic deal will deepen an already well-established partnership between ITC Infotech and BAT, streamlining end-to-end technology delivery and improving speed, efficiency, and service quality. As part of the deal, ITC Infotech will strengthen its footprint and onshore capabilities in Europe, which will be strat
Gen Z Spending is Expected to Reach $12 Trillion by 2030. Here's Why That Doesn't Matter as Much as Brands Think12.8.2026 13:00:00 EEST | Press release
The biggest shift in consumer spending isn't generational—it's behavioral. New research from NielsenIQ (NYSE: NIQ) finds consumers across every age group are increasingly making the same calculation: where is a premium worth paying, and where can they save money instead? The result is a growing divide between premium and value products, while traditional middle-market offerings face mounting pressure. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260812239453/en/ Every generation is spending differently, but all are weighing value more carefully The findings come from NIQ's latest global report, A Tale of Two Consumers: The Polarized Mindsets Reshaping Global Consumption, developed in collaboration with World Data Lab. While Gen X accounted for $15.2 trillion in spending in 2025 and Gen Z is expected to reach $12 trillion by 2030, the report finds that age alone no longer explains purchasing decisions. Consumers across ge
Kinguin Renews Ravelin Partnership After Cutting Ecommerce Fraud to “Industry-Leading Low”12.8.2026 12:04:00 EEST | Press release
Kinguin, a global digital games marketplace serving more than 20 million registered users, has renewed its partnership with AI-native fraud platform Ravelin. The agreement follows significant reductions in fraud and a shift to automated, scalable fraud detection. Since first partnering in 2018, Ravelin has helped Kinguin transform its approach to payment fraud. Kinguin has eliminated the need for real-time manual reviews, while overall fraud rates have declined by 87.5%. The renewal reflects growing confidence in AI-led fraud prevention at a time when ecommerce merchants face increasingly sophisticated attacks, particularly in the digital goods space where instant delivery also means instant results for fraudsters. Kinguin is where gaming and esports fans around the world can access their favorite games, choosing from almost 200 payment methods. This also makes it a magnet for fraudsters. Previously, Kinguin’s fraud team worked around the clock manually reviewing suspicious transaction
Delhaize BeLux Achieves Up to 90% Forecast Accuracy Using SymphonyAI's AI-Driven Replenishment Platform12.8.2026 10:05:00 EEST | Press release
When a grocery retailer operates under a pure B2B affiliate model, it cannot push excess inventory to its store partners — which means forecasting has to be right, or the distribution center absorbs the cost. SymphonyAI, a global leader in Vertical AI, today announced that Delhaize, part of the Ahold Delhaize Group, has deployed SymphonyAI's Demand Forecasting and Replenishment solutions across its 600-store affiliated network and five distribution centers in Belgium, replacing reactive, manually intensive ordering processes with an AI-driven, exception-based workflow. The Delhaize Le Lion / De Leeuw network has no less than 1113 stores in Belgium and Luxembourg. The store network consists of different formulas: Delhaize, Proxy, Shop&Go and louis delhaize. Customers can also shop online via www.delhaize.be, and either pick up their products at the collect points or have them delivered to their homes. Delhaize offers a wide range of over 20,000 quality products. SymphonyAI's Demand Fore
Align Technology Prevails in China Patent Infringement Action Against Angelalign12.8.2026 03:47:00 EEST | Press release
Align Technology, Inc. ("Align") (Nasdaq: ALGN), a leading global medical device company that designs, manufactures, and sells the Invisalign® System of clear aligners, today announced that the Jinan Intermediate People's Court in China issued a judgment in favor of Align in a patent infringement action against Angelalign Technology's operating subsidiaries in China ("Angel") (Hong Kong Stock Exchange: 6699.HK). In September 2025, Align filed a patent infringement action against Angel in the Jinan Intermediate People's Court, asserting Align’s patent related to extraction-gap-closure technology (CN113693748B). On August 10, 2026, the Jinan Intermediate People's Court issued a first-instance judgment finding that Angel's use of its MasterForce biomechanical simulation system and ATreat digital orthodontic treatment design system to generate A7 and A7 Speed premolar extraction treatment solutions infringes Align's patent rights. The court further found that the related aligner products m
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom