Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. announced completion of enrollment of 78 subjects who were infected with influenza A in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2a human challenge clinical study evaluating the safety, tolerability, antiviral and clinical measurements of its novel, broad-spectrum, oral PB2 inhibitor CC-42344. CC-42344 is a new class of antiviral treatment designed to effectively block an essential step in the viral replication andcription of pandemic and seasonal influenza A, and was discovered using the Company's proprietary structure-based drug discovery platform technology. There is an urgent need for new influenza antivirals targeting highly pathogenic avian pandemic and seasonal influenza strains.

This human challenge study was conducted in the United Kingdom and was designed to evaluate a favorable safety profile, virological effects, and an improvement in clinical symptom for CC-42344 as a potential oral treatment for pandemic and seasonal influenza A. Cocrystal also plans to begin a Phase 1 study in Australia with an inhaled formulation of CC-42344 as a potentially influenza A treatment and post-exposure prophylaxis. Recent preclinical data showed that inhaled CC-42344 exhibited highly effective delivery into the lung, superior lung exposure, efficacy in influenza-infected human lung epithelia and a favorable safety profile. In December 2023, Cocrystal announced the achievement of first-patient-in for the Phase 2a human challenge clinical trial with CC-42344, an investigational new oral antiviral inhibitor for the treatment of pandemic and seasonal influenzaA.

The randomized, double-blind, randomized, double-blind, administered study was designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, viral and clinical measurements of influenza A infection in subjects dosed with oral CC-42344 treatment. In addition to the health risk, influenza is responsible for approximately $10.4 billion in direct costs for hospitalizations and outpatient visits for adults in the U.S. annually.