Island Pharmaceuticals advances dengue fever treatment with promising ISLA-101 study results

Australian antiviral drug development company Island Pharmaceuticals (ASX: ILA) continues to achieve promising results from testing of a potential treatment for the widely-spread dengue fever.

The latest assessment of its ISLA-101 drug candidate has returned “highly encouraging” pharmacokinetics (PK) data from a single ascending dose study.

The new 24-subject ISLA-101 study has provided critical PK data for determining how the drug acts in the body and for establishing appropriate dosing regimens for Island’s planned Phase 2a clinical trial.

Reinforced confidence

Chief executive officer Dr David Foster said the new pharmacokinetic data had reinforced Island’s confidence in ISLA-101.

“We are very pleased with the outcomes of this study,” he said.

“It not only confirms we have an appropriate plan as we head toward Phase 2 but it has helped to build our experience with the drug, manufactured at today’s standards and in a modern clinical setting.”

“The data has shown us that even following a single dose, we are achieving blood concentrations that have previously been shown to be effective against dengue fever infections.”

“This is exactly the outcome we hoped for–it provides a critical data point to underpin our dosing regimen as we prepare for the Phase 2 clinical study, which will include dosing for multiple days.”

“We would expect from first principles to see the concentration levels increase with multiple days of dosing and this will be examined in PK modelling work that is currently being completed.”

Early success

Data analysis has already identified that planned doses for the Phase 2 study achieved the relevant concentrations after just a single dose.

That single dose of ISLA-101 achieved blood concentrations that were demonstrated to be effective against dengue infections.

Island is now examining whether, as expected, the concentration will increase with multiple days of dosing.

Island has also reinforced the drug’s safety and tolerability by dosing at levels equivalent to up to ten times the dose given in successful preclinical animal models.

Widespread disease

With around 400 million cases of dengue fever recorded in humans each year and the disease now endemic in approximately 100 countries, Island has identified a significant unmet need for treatment options.

Since the beginning of 2024, over two million dengue fever cases and over 500 related deaths have been reported globally.

The total worldwide annual cost of dengue is estimated to be around $13.8 billion.

Well-funded

In late February, Island announced it was conducting a capital raising of up to approximately $1.95m through a fully underwritten, non-renounceable rights issue to eligible shareholders.

The decision to conduct the raising came after the company had reported strong and consistent delivery of milestones in the development of ISLA-101.