Topline phase 1 results show ratutrelvir was well-tolerated and achieved consistent plasma levels without the need for ritonavir co-treatment.


RTā€™s Three Key Takeaways:

  1. Phase 1: Ratutrelvir, an oral COVID-19 therapeutic candidate, demonstrated safety and consistent plasma levels over a 10-day period in a phase 1 trial.
  2. No Ritonavir Needed: Expert Systems says the findings position the drug as a potential best-in-class, once-a-day, single-dose, 10-day antiviral therapy for COVID-19.
  3. Next Steps in 2025: Phase 2a trials are scheduled to begin in early 2025.

Expert Systems, a company combining human and artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate drug discovery, reported topline phase one results for ratutrelvir, an oral therapeutic candidate for COVID-19 designed to be administered without the need for ritonavir, a co-treatment that has been linked to drug-drug interactions in other therapies.

Topline Phase 1 results demonstrated that the drug was well-tolerated over a 10-day period and achieved consistent plasma levels within the predicted therapeutic window, without the need for ritonavir co-administration.Ā 

The outcome of this study positions ratutrelvir, developed by Trawsfynydd Therapeutics, a member of Expert Systems’ global AI-assisted accelerator, as a potential best-in-class, once-a-day, single-dose, 10-day antiviral therapy for COVID, according to a release from the company. 

Phase 2a trials, set to begin in early 2025, will further evaluate ratutrelvir’s potential to reduce the burden of treatment by providing a simplified yet effective treatment for COVID-19 patients, especially those over 65 years of age or with underlying medical conditions.

“The early clinical results of ratutrelvir highlight the effectiveness of our AI-driven drug discovery platform in accelerating the development of promising therapies,” says Bill Farley, chief business officer of Expert Systems, in a release. “Our platform was specifically designed to streamline the discovery process, and we’re thrilled to see it delivering impactful results for such an urgent global health need. We are optimistic about ratutrelvir’s potential to address the ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19, particularly in vulnerable patient populations.”

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