Alcon, Inc. and NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the beginning of a phase 2 clinical trial of an Aganocide® compound, NVC-422, for viral conjunctivitis.

Aganocides® are proprietary synthetic analogs of the same molecules used by white blood cells to destroy harmful microbes in the body, such as viruses and bacteria. NovaBay believes that these compounds will create little microbial resistance and may offer a solution to the rising levels of antibiotic resistance.

A recently completed Phase 1 trial demonstrated tolerability and safety in 120 healthy volunteers. The Phase 2 trial will be a multi-center, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to determine the efficacy and safety of NVC-422 in patients with viral conjunctivitis. The planned enrollment is 250 patients.

Read ^[1] the release.