Noxopharm Limited released preliminary top line data of its NOXCOVID phase 1 clinical trial. The Company cautions that the preliminary data released is top-line only and has been released for the purpose of allowing the Company to speak openly with health authorities. The full data continues to be analysed and is expected to be released in several weeks. The role being proposed for Veyonda is an anti-inflammatory drug that does not compromise the ability of the body to fight coronavirus infection. Over 90% of individuals infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus recover from the infection with non-critical symptoms. Those patients who do go on to develop critical symptoms, in many cases do so because of an excessive inflammatory response to viral-induced damage in the lungs and other organs.1,2 This hyper-inflammation can go on to trigger widespread inflammation of the lining of blood vessels, disseminated coagulation, septic shock and multi-organ failure. This has led to standard anti-inflammatory drugs such as prednisone and dexamethasone becoming standard of care in the management of hospitalised COVID-19 patients.5 However, the appropriateness of these drugs in less severe cases remains a point of concern given their immune-suppressing effects, potentially slowing the clearance of the virus from the lungs and increasing the risk of secondary infections from bacteria and other viruses. The unique mechanism of action of idronoxil points to an anti-inflammatory action while still preserving the body's ability to fight the virus, potentially making it a suitable anti-inflammatory in patients with early or moderate COVID-19 disease. On the basis of the data, Noxopharm, in partnership with Hudson Institute of Medical Research (`Hudson Institute'), now will seek to have Veyonda join one or more of the platform programs being conducted globally looking to identify a basket of treatments for COVID-19 disease. These global clinical studies are being undertaken as a matter of urgency in the expectation that new variants may challenge the protection offered by current vaccines, potentially returning the world to an emergency situation where hospital services are under stress. Noxopharm is unaware of any drugs with a similar purpose to that of Veyonda being tested in those studies. Following this phase 1 study, it will be important to test the effects of Veyonda in a larger randomised controlled study. The lack of any safety concerns with Veyonda in COVID-19 patients, plus its self-administration, leads Noxopharm to see Veyonda holding promise in at least 2 clinical scenarios: treating patients with moderate disease who are admitted to hospital, and treating patients with milder disease on an out-patient basis to avoid hospitalization.