Ashfield Engage announces global strategic partnership with Synairgen

Ashfield Engage has announced a strategic partnership with respiratory drug developer Synairgen plc (LSE: SNG); supporting them with commercialisation surrounding their SNG001 treatment.

As potentially the first host-targeted, broad-spectrum antiviral treatment delivered directly into the lungs, SNG001 is an investigational inhaled formulation of naturally occurring IFN-beta for potential use in patients hospitalised with COVID-19.

Leveraging its COVID-19 experience, Ashfield Engage will support Synairgen to build out a commercialisation team structured for the needs of SNG001, pending completion of pivotal trials and regulatory authorisations. The partnership will include the recruitment of a dedicated medical affairs, patient services, commercial and market access team.

A privilege to support Synairgen

Greg Flynn, Global President of Ashfield Engage, said: “It is a privilege to support Synairgen in bringing this innovative potential treatment to COVID-19 patients. Having initially collaborated with Synairgen regarding patient support, we have together developed a truly consultative approach – taking the time to fully understand patient needs and providing solutions in both hospital and home settings.

We’re grateful that our collaboration has now evolved into a significantly wider partnership which will see us recruiting experts on nebulised antivirals, providing MSLs to educate on the SNG001 treatment, and establishing medical information services to respond to patient enquiries.”

In November 2021, Synairgen announced that it had completed enrolment of 610 patients in its Phase 3 SPRINTER trial (SG018) and expects top-line data early in 2022. SNG001 has also recently graduated to Phase 3 of the US National Institute of Health’s ACTIV-2 trial.

“There remains an urgent need for new therapies to treat hospitalised COVID-19 patients in order to prevent disease progression, accelerate hospital discharge and enable patients to quickly resume their usual activities,” said Richard Hennings, Chief Commercial Officer of Synairgen. “We are excited to be working with Ashfield Engage given their relevant COVID-19 experience and are confident they understand our needs and values as we build the optimal team.”

SNG001 has been granted Fast Track status from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Phase 3 SPRINTER trial was classified as an Urgent Public Health study by the UK’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).