Hemispherx BioPharma CEO Talks About Ampligen, Alferon's Potential

Hemispherx BioPharma, Inc (NYSE: HEB) is a nano-cap biopharmaceutical research and development company that focuses on the treatment of seriously debilitating disorders. Its flagship products include Alferon N Injection, Ampligen and Alferon LDO.

Benzinga recently had the chance to speak with the company’s CEO Tom Equels, who explained what chronic fatigue syndrome is and how Ampligen is used to treat it.

Beyond Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

After discussing CFS, the chief executive shared a look at other potential uses for Ampligen that the company has been studying, including anti-viral applications, as well as the treatment of influenza — via the enhancement of certain vaccines, severe burns, severe trauma and surgery-related infections.

Furthermore, he pointed out, Ampligen has shown efficacy with certain cancers. “We have obtained an orphan drug designation, based upon some of those results, for renal cell carcinoma and/or melanoma from the FDA.”

“However, what we have been working on now is taking Ampligen’s unique characteristics in terms of both regulating and de-regulating certain aspects of the immune system that relate to the cancer cells,” he disclosed. “We’re experimenting in doing clinical work using them in conjunction with certain therapeutic vaccines and PD1 inhibitors, to show the positive impact that Ampligen has in enhancing this oncology drug cocktail being used to destroy tumors, based upon an immunological model,” Equels added.

Alferon

“Alferon is somewhat different to Ampligen, even though there is a relation between the two,” the exec continued. “Alferon is the only FDA-approved natural alpha interferon [which is not neutralized by the human body, like recombinant or ‘synthetic’ alpha interferons, nor has it got the side effects the latter do].”

“Right now, Alferon is limited to certain refractory genital HPV applications in the United States, but available for all refractory uses in Argentina,” Equels went on.

However, the problem has been that the manufacturing process of Alferon was so extensive that the commercial application was “almost impossible to manifest,” the CEO explicated. So, what Hemispherx has been doing is produce the alpha interferon in bioreactors that make it possible to increase volumes while reducing costs.

While the market far exceeds what the company can produce right now, they have decided to move forward because they believe the patients who are refractory to recombinant interferons deserve an alternative treatment, Equels concluded.

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