Globally, acute respiratory distress syndrome affects over 3 million people a year. In the US, until recently, approximately 200,000 patients were stricken annually with ARDS. ARDS can be caused by a variety of insults including bacterial and viral pneumonia, sepsis, smoke inhalation, aspiration, and, most recently, the novel COVID-19 virus. ARDS is a life-threatening condition causing widespread capillary leakage and inflammation of the lungs. Breathing becomes difficult and oxygen cannot get into the body. Treatment options for ARDS are limited beyond mechanical ventilation, and approximately 40 percent of ARDS patients do not survive.
About ARDS
Overview
- ARDS is a severe form of acute lung injury that prevents oxygen from reaching the lungs and bloodstream
- The primary cause of ARDS is the movement of inflammatory cells, especially white blood cells (Neutrophils) from tissue and blood stream into the lung
- Once in the lung, these cells release pro inflammatory molecules, called cytokines; this “cytokine leads to ARDS
- Activated MARCKS Protein is critical for inflammatory cells to move to the injured lung
- BIO 11006 inhibits activation of MARCKS Protein, preventing the influx of inflammatory cells into the lung and thereby reverses ARDS
Normal vs Injured Alveolus

BIO-11006 has been shown to prevent ARDS through inhibition of motility of inflammatory cells that cause a “cytokine storm” in the lungs, and even reverse established ARDS