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![Receives almost 10 million from the federal government: Pharmaceutical company Molecular Partners in Schlieren ZH.]()
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Receives almost 10 million from the federal government: Pharmaceutical company Molecular Partners in Schlieren ZH.
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![CEO Patrick Amstutz is confident:]()
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CEO Patrick Amstutz is confident: “In this special situation, approval can go faster, it doesn’t have to take several years.”
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![The clinical studies will begin in autumn.]()
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The clinical studies will begin in autumn.
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![Now the MP420 just has to pass the clinical test phase.]()
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Now the MP420 just has to pass the clinical test phase.
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![It is extremely uncertain whether there will be enough market approval this year.]()
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It is extremely uncertain whether there will be enough market approval this year.
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For a long time Switzerland was only on the sidelines, but now the authorities are really doing it. The country has secured access to a potential drug in the fight against the coronavirus with an amount worth millions.
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It is happening in rapid succession: Last Friday, the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) informed about the first vaccine deal with the US biotech company Moderna. On Tuesday, the FOPH signed a reservation contract with the Swiss company Molecular Partners.
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The drug from the Zurich biotech company looks very promising. BLICK answers the most important questions about the new hope against Covid-19.
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What does the federal government pay and what is the consideration?
The BAG is pumping around 10 million francs into the company from Schlieren ZH. With the contract, the federal government secures access to the first 200,000 doses of the Covid-19 drug and a right to delivery of up to three million additional doses.–
Why is the federal government investing its money in a drug that has not yet been tested on humans?
It is a Swiss product that is also quite inexpensive to produce. In addition, Switzerland secures access to the drug. This would also be guaranteed if Molecular Partners were to merge with a foreign group or were to be bought up.–
What does the company use the money for?
Molecular Partners invests this in the production of the active ingredient. The research has been completed, says CEO Patrick Amstutz (45) in an interview with Blick TV. Now it is a matter of producing enough active ingredient for the clinical tests.–
Does the drug already have a name?
No, because drug names are given by the World Health Organization (WHO). At the moment the active ingredient has the internal code MP420.–
How does MP420 work?
MP420 is a so-called immunotherapeutic. The special thing about it is that MP420 bundles three active ingredients in one drug. This makes it all the more effective, because every single one of these so-called protein binders prevents the virus from penetrating a cell. In addition, the drug could also be used as a prophylaxis.–
Will you get market approval this year?
That may take some time, because the clinical tests will only begin in autumn. It usually takes years to do this. Amstutz is confident, however: “In this special situation, approval can go faster, it doesn’t have to take several years.” Because thanks to international cooperation, many processes can be shortened. He does not want to commit to an exact point in time.–
Are there enough test persons in Switzerland, i.e. patients suffering from corona?
“Fortunately not,” says Amstutz spontaneously. This means that Molecular Partners is looking internationally for cooperation partners who can help carry out the tests.–
Is this the big breakthrough in the fight against Corona?
It would be too early to say. It is one of many drugs that is currently being tested. MP420 is certainly one of the very big hopes. “It’s a promising shot against the virus,” says CEO Amstutz.–
How does the stock market react?
Investors like it when the federal government awards MP420 the accolade, so to speak, with its commitment. Investors are taking hold, the share shoots through the roof, increases at times by 40 percent. Corona seems to trigger investor fantasies.–
The federal government plays the lottery. Can he lose his money?
He can, because every drug development is associated with a great deal of risk. In normal times, just five percent of all active ingredients researched ultimately receive approval for use on patients. So if the clinical studies do not bring the desired success, the millions would be gone. But Switzerland has to take this risk.–
How much money does the federal government want to make to procure vaccines and drugs?
A total of CHF 300 million has been earmarked for the procurement of vaccines and medicines. The federal government uses different therapeutic approaches. However, there is apparently no further medical success in which the federal government would like to invest its money.—
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