G.ST Antivirals reports start of Phase II trial and announces appointment of Ronald Bruce Turner as new Chief Medical Officer – Biotech Investments

• Phase II clinical trial started, 1^st subject in on April 2^nd, 2024
• New CMO Ronald Bruce Turner, MD, distinguished expert in the clinical research of rhinoviruses, to oversee trial and drive further clinical development

Vienna, Austria, April 9, 2024 – G.ST Antivirals, a clinical-stage biotechnology company applying innovative, host cell-based strategies to develop broad-spectrum antivirals against respiratory tract infections, today announced the appointment of Ronald Bruce Turner, MD, as new Chief Medical Officer (CMO). An expert in the clinical research of respiratory viruses, Dr. Turner will oversee the Company’s current clinical trial and drive further clinical development. Additionally, the company announced that its lead asset, a broad-spectrum antiviral nasal spray containing 2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), has entered a Phase II study as the first subject was dosed on April 2^nd, 2024.

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II rhinovirus-challenge study is conducted at the Centre for Human Drug Research (CHDR) in Leiden, the Netherlands, an independent institute that specialises in cutting-edge, early-phase clinical research. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of 2-DG in preventing illness from rhinoviruses, reducing infection rates, and easing symptom severity. It will also evaluate the drug’s safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics. A total of 128 volunteers will participate, receiving up to four daily intranasal doses of either 2-DG or a placebo. The drug tackles rhinoviruses (RVs), the causative agent of the common cold and more severe respiratory diseases in vulnerable individuals. It also aims to prevent diseases caused by other important agents, such as coronaviruses.

Dr. Guido Gualdoni, Co-Founder and CEO of G.ST Antivirals, said: “I am very happy that we successfully kicked off our new Phase II study, and also delighted to welcome Ronald as our new CMO. He is a world leading expert in clinical research of respiratory viruses, whose outstanding work and remarkable contributions to our field I have been following for a long time. His knowledge will be invaluable when driving our clinical development of 2-DG through Phase II and beyond, and I am very much looking forward to working together.”

“I have supported G.ST Antivirals’ work for several years as scientific advisor. 2-DG is a unique and intriguing therapeutic approach to treating viral infections by blocking the virus’ nutrient access,” commented Ronald Bruce Turner, MD, CMO of G.ST Antivirals. “As CMO, I look forward to working with a talented team, driving forward our mission to develop broad-spectrum antivirals against infections of the respiratory tract, providing much needed treatments for viral diseases.”

Dr. Turner is a former Professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Virginia Medical School and is a globally recognized Key Opinion Leader in the field of respiratory viral infections. He has served as the Associate Dean for Clinical Research at the University of Virginia, as Head of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the Medical University of South Carolina and served as a reviewer of multiple scientific journals including JAMA, New England Journal of Medicine and Clinical Infectious Diseases. He has published over 140 articles, reviews and book chapters and consulted numerous companies researching respiratory viral infections. He received his BS in Chemistry from Southern Illinois University and his MD from the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.

G.ST Antivirals has developed a highly innovative, patented medication against RVs and other respiratory pathogens. Its approach is based on manipulating the metabolism of the host cell. Viruses do not possess a metabolism of their own and are thus dependent on the host cell to multiply. Infections with RVs in particular lead to an anabolic state of the infected cells. This upregulation of host cell metabolic pathways, such as glycolysis, allows the virus to rapidly multiply. Inhibition of glycolysis by the glucose analogue 2-DG reverses the virus-induced metabolic reprogramming of host cells and prevents the utilization of sugar by the virus, thereby significantly limiting its reproduction and consequently starving the virus.

About G.ST Antivirals

G.ST Antivirals is an Austrian company founded in 2019 as a spin-off from the Medical University of Vienna. Following extensive research on the inhibition of rhinovirus infections, G.ST Antivirals has developed a patented, innovative drug against colds and other viral infections. For this discovery, the two founders Guido Gualdoni, CEO, and Johannes Stöckl, who is part of the company’s advisory board, received the award “Inventor of the Year” by the Medical University of Vienna in 2020. After a successful funding round in 2020, and a Phase I clinical trial in 2022, the company has started its Phase II trial in 2024.

For further information, please visit our website www.gst-antivirals.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Contact

Guido Gualdoni, MD, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
G.ST Antivirals GmbH
Dr. Bohr-Gasse 7
A-1030 Vienna
office@gst-antivirals.com

Media Contact

MC Services AG
Dr. Cora Kaiser, Dr. Johanna Kobler
+49 89 210 228 0
gst-antivirals@mc-services.eu

For a high-resolution image of Ronald Bruce Turner, please contact gst-antivirals@mc-services.eu.