Welcome to this month’s issue of Island Pharmaceuticals’ IslandWatch newsletter. Some of the major highlights from the month have included:
International Dengue Summit
Although outbreaks of Mpox and Oropouche virus took over the news headlines this month, dengue remains a major epidemic disease threat. In August, experts in dengue gathered at the International Dengue Endgame Summit in Syracuse, which was hosted by Upstate Medical University. Invited along with world-leading dengue researchers, clinicians and policy makers, Island joined the conversation around the current dengue crisis and countermeasures to fight against it.
ISLA-101 cleared to proceed with Phase II
August also saw Island announcing milestone clinical updates for the company’s lead drug candidate, ISLA-101. The program has been cleared to commence its Phase 2a/2b clinical trial, which we will elaborate more on later in this newsletter.
World Mosquito Day
On August 20 we recognised World Mosquito Day. On this day in 1897, British doctor Sir Ronald Ross discovered groundbreaking evidence that proved malaria can be transmitted between mosquitoes and humans. This year, we highlight the fact that 2024 is the worst year for recorded dengue cases, with more than 24,000 severe cases and over 6,500 deaths reported in the first half of the year.
Dengue Live Map, as of 29 Aug 2024
Credit (click to check live dengue status): https://www.healthmap.org/dengue/en/
HEADLINES OF THE MONTH
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CDC Warns: Dengue Fever Cases Surge
Dengue fever cases are rising in Massachusetts and the Americas, the CDC report shows.
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Cambodia Battles Thousands of Dengue Cases
Cambodia reported 7,058 dengue fever cases in the first half of 2024, with authorities urging public health measures to control the outbreak.
Read more
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Bangladesh Dengue Crisis: 228 Hospitalised
Three more deaths and 228 hospitalisations due to dengue were reported in Bangladesh, highlighting the ongoing severity of the outbreak.
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'Never been as sick in my life'
Anthony Fauci, the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is recovering from a severe West Nile virus infection, after being hospitalised for six days.
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LATEST ISLAND PHARMACEUTICAL UPDATES
On 7 August 2024, Island announced clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in relation to the amended protocol for our ISLA-101 Phase 2a/2b clinical trial. The Phase 2a/2b study has been renamed ‘PROTECT’, short for PROphylactic and TrEatment Challenge Trial in line with the amended protocol.
The 2a cohort will explore the prophylactic (preventative) arm of ISLA-101, with the first dosing planned for late September and infecting at the beginning of October. This timeframe was determined in consultation with the FDA in order to avoid the mosquito season given the human challenge model. A full readout for Phase 2a results can be expected before the end of this calendar year. The 2b cohort will explore the therapeutic arm of the drug, expected to commence in January 2025.
Island is pleased to share that due to the funding reallocation announced previously, the trial costs have been reduced significantly, with the entire Phase 2a/2b expected to cost around US$1.08m.
Read the full announcement >>
Read the story in The Australian >>
As mentioned earlier, Island CEO and Managing Director Dr David Foster attended the International Dengue Summit in Syracuse this month. The Island team were pleased to attend this invite-only event, where world-leading dengue experts from different disciplines converged to discuss countermeasures to fight against the dengue crisis.
Read a recap of the Summit here >>
DID YOU KNOW?
Childhood obesity may double the risk of dengue hospitalisation, according to a study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.
The study, conducted in Sri Lanka where dengue is endemic, is based on a sample size of 4782 children aged between 10 and 18. The study showed that during the sampling period, 18.2% seropositive children with a body mass index (BMI) centile over 97th had been hospitalised for dengue. In comparison, 9.48% of children with BMI centile under 97th had been hospitalised for dengue.
Study results suggested the association between obesity and an increased risk of hospitalisation in dengue. This is worth exploring further, especially given the dengue crisis and the rising BMIs globally.
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