A clinical stage pharmaceutical company based in Houston has entered into the next phase of testing out a drug that could be used to treat COVID-19.

Moleculin Biotech Inc. has tapped an independent lab to examine the antiviral activity of its WP1122 portfolio in a COVID-19 animal model. The drug was originally developed as a cancer-fighting glycolysis inhibitor and submitted for its COVID-19 treatment patent in April.

"With in vivo studies for the treatment of COVID-19 in such high demand, we are excited to begin an in vivo study involving our WP1122 portfolio," says Walter Klemp, chairman and CEO of Moleculin, in a press release. "Even though we may have initial observations earlier, having the final data readout in December will push the estimated window for filing an Investigational New Drug application into 2021.

"We are also planning to conduct other in vivo studies, intended to enable us to file a complete IND with the US Food and Drug Administration."

The in vivo study, which would use the lab's hamster model and SARS-CoV-2. Moleculin Biotech expects to have the data from the study in December.

"We are excited about the additional in vitro testing as this will involve more than one molecule from our WP1122 anitmetabolite portfolio against SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses," says Klemp.

Moleculin Biotech was founded by Klemp in 2007 and went public in 2016. The company is based in the Memorial Park area of Houston.