NCT04646980

Biobran/MGN-3 Increases Innate Resistance and Reduces the Incidence of Influenza-like Illnesses

Completed NA Last updated 30 November 2020

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Biobran/MGN-3 in Influenza-like Illness in 80 participants. Completed in 28 February 2019.

Timeline

28 November 2018

Primary endpoint
28 February 2019

28 February 2019

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Zagazig University
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	double
Primary purpose	prevention
Enrollment	80
Start date	28 November 2018
Primary completion	28 February 2019
Estimated completion	28 February 2019
Sites	1 location across Egypt

Drugs / interventions tested

• Biobran/MGN-3
• Placebo

Conditions studied

• Influenza-like Illness — all drugs for Influenza-like Illness →

Sponsor

Zagazig University

Who can join

56 and older, any sex, with Influenza-like Illness. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

Influenza is a seasonally-epidemic viral infection causing 3-5 million severe illnesses and up to approximately 500,000 annual deaths around the world. Influenza-like illnesses (ILI) is a simple constellation of symptoms and signs that was introduced to capture influenza cases in surveillance system. The elderly are more susceptible to cancers and viral infections including influenza infection and complications that was attributed to the phenomenon of immunosenescence or age-associated decline of immune system activity. Biobran/MGN3 is a natural nutritional supplement that was shown to exhibit potent immunomodulator effect such as enhancement of natural killer cell (NKC) activity and up-regulating the production of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF- α), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and -lambda (IFN-λ). The protective effect of Biobran/MGN-3 against viral infection such hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as well as several cancer types has been previously reported in experimental animal models and humans. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of Biobran/MGN-3 on some innate immune system components and the incidence of ILI in the older adult population. The studied innate immune system included NKC activity and the expressions of intracellular viral nucleic acid sensors such as retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 (RIG-1), melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5) and some of their downstream signals such as ISG15 and MX1.

Publications & conference data

2 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Immunosenescence: signaling pathways, diseases and therapeutic targets.
   Fu Y, Wang B, Alu A, Hong W, et al · · 2025 · cited 28× · PMID 40769978 · DOI 10.1038/s41392-025-02371-z
2. Dietary Supplementation with Biobran/MGN-3 Increases Innate Resistance and Reduces the Incidence of Influenza-like Illnesses in Elderly Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Clinical Trial.
   Elsaid AF, Agrawal S, Agrawal A, Ghoneum M. · · 2021 · cited 11× · PMID 34836388 · DOI 10.3390/nu13114133