Bioxytran Inc. (OTCQB: BIXT) is pioneering the use of complex carbohydrate-based therapeutics to address urgent unmet medical needs in virology, cancer metastasis, and oxygen transport.
“Our goal is to eliminate viruses like COVID-19 and extend the lives of patients with chronic conditions using carbohydrate-based drug design. This represents a fundamental shift in the way we approach both infectious and inflammatory diseases,” Mike Sheikh, CCO of Bioxytran, says in an interview with BioTuesdays.
At the core of Bioxytran’s technology are galectins—carbohydrate-binding proteins that play key roles in cell signaling, immune modulation, and disease progression. Galectins can promote viral adhesion, suppress immune function, and drive inflammation, fibrosis, and tumor growth.
Dr. David Platt, Ph.D., Bioxytran’s founder, CEO, and chairman, is a world leader in carbohydrate chemistry. Nearly 30 years ago, he coined the term “galectin” and was the first to express the galactose-binding lectin in a laboratory setting. Today, the field he helped pioneer generates hundreds of peer-reviewed studies each year.
Dr. Platt’s decades of research underpin two of Bioxytran’s innovative drug platforms: 1) Glycovirology – a glycan-based antiviral approach targeting viral adhesion and immune modulation via galectin inhibition. The lead candidate, ProLectin-M, has shown promising results in 2 COVID-19 randomized controlled clinical trials; and 2) Universal Oxygen Carrier—a hemoglobin-based oxygen transport molecule stabilized by a carbohydrate-based molecule capable of oxygen delivery in hypoxic conditions, such as stroke, heart attack, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), via the drug candidate BXT-25, a molecule thousands of times smaller than a red blood cell.
Galectins are also known to regulate immune responses by controlling the behavior of neutrophils, macrophages, and T-cells. In viral infections like COVID-19, galectins facilitate viral entry, contribute to the cytokine storm, and suppress adaptive immunity by forming plaques on CD8+ T-cells.
“Bioxytran is targeting galectins with a new class of therapeutics—by inhibiting galectins, we aim to reduce viral entry, suppress inflammation, and restore T-cell function,” Mr. Sheikh explains. “Our molecule binds to the spike protein of COVID-19 and tags the virus for elimination through the liver. If administered early, it may block infection altogether. Later in the disease, it could restore immune homeostasis.”
Bioxytran’s ProLectin pipeline includes multiple formulations:
- ProLectin-M: an oral, broad-spectrum antiviral targeting early-stage COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses.
- ProLectin-I: an intravenous galectin antagonist designed to target fibrosis, cancer metastasis, and Long COVID.
- BXT-25: a specialized Universal Oxygen Carrier capable of penetrating clots due to stroke, heart attack, or acute respiratory distress syndrome.
In Phase 2 trials, ProLectin-M achieved a complete reduction in viral load and symptoms within five days. By Day 3, 88% of patients tested PCR negative. The therapy also reduced viral transmission, suppressed cytokine storms, and maintained a strong antibody response.
Mr. Shiekh highlights Bioxytran’s latest initiative—repurposing ProLectin-M into a water-soluble antiviral to combat bird flu. He explains that the compound’s broad-spectrum activity against influenza is likely to extend to the H5N1 virus, which has plagued poultry farmers for the past year and caused more than $1.4 billion in direct industry losses. “When birds show signs of infection, farmers are required to cull the entire flock. The resulting shortage of egg-laying hens has led to a massive spike in egg prices,” he notes.
Bioxytran’s technology has garnered tremendous support from the University of Georgia, a world-renowned leader in poultry research. The university plans to test the company’s animal-specific formulation in chickens and has applied for a research grant from the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which includes the use of Bioxytran’s water-soluble galectin antagonist, PHM23. Mr. Shiekh mentions the grant could be awarded as early as August of this year.
“Getting our antiviral to work in chickens would be a game-changer for food supply stability. Billions are spent on biosecurity, and we still have outbreaks. So, we need something more. Vaccines do exist, but they are controversial due to the risks they pose to humans,” he explains. “Vaccinated chickens would create a breeding ground of asymptomatic spread that facilitates the evolution of the virus and its eventual jump to humans.”
“We believe we have found a solution with PHM23. If we can demonstrate that our antiviral is effective and can be manufactured at scale, it’s a home run—exactly what this industry needs to stabilize the bird flu threat,” he adds.
Mr. Sheikh points out that Bioxytran’s platform has broad applications—galectin biology extends well beyond infectious disease. Research has linked galectin-3 to resistance in immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) used in cancer. The company is currently exploring the combination of its galectin inhibitors with existing cancer immunotherapies, in a mentorship program with the University of Arizona.
Galectins are also key drivers of fibrosis and inflammation in conditions such as psoriasis, liver fibrosis, and pulmonary disease. By modulating galectin activity, Bioxytran’s compounds may offer broad anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic benefits.
“We believe we can treat a wide range of diseases—from asthma and cancer to UTIs, shingles, and fibrosis to name a few—just by blocking this one protein family,” Mr. Sheikh contends.
Bioxytran’s BXT-25 is a specialized form of the universal oxygen carrier, and could revolutionize care for patients experiencing stroke, heart attacks, or sickle cell anemia by delivering oxygen through blood clots where traditional blood cells cannot reach. When administered by paramedics at diagnosis, the therapy may reduce “time-to-needle” by more than 90%.
Bioxytran’s antiviral approach, termed glycovirology, represents a new frontier based on the premise that sugar-based drugs can attach directly to viral binding domains, preventing the virus from entering host cells.
“Our candidate targets the virus—not the host cell like most current therapies,” Mr. Sheikh says. “There is also strong evidence that carbohydrate drugs can modulate the immune response.”
Unlike most antivirals that only work against specific viral strains, Bioxytran’s galectin antagonists are designed to be truly broad-spectrum. The company has patents pending for more than 60 viruses, including COVID-19, RSV, and influenza.
“Each virus has a unique galectin signature,” Mr. Sheikh emphasizes. “By targeting that signature, we believe we can neutralize the virus before it ever enters the cell.”
According to the CDC, individuals with underlying conditions—such as diabetes, hypertension, fibrosis, or cancer—are at higher risk of severe COVID-19. These same individuals often have elevated galectin levels, which further degrade immune response and fuel hyperinflammation.
“Galectins are part of the virus’s recognition system,” Mr. Sheikh explains. “Our galectin inhibitors are designed to interfere with viral entry, restore immune balance, and prevent downstream inflammatory damage. This is not an antibody therapy—it’s a novel fusion inhibitor that can block the virus from entering the host cell altogether.”
He adds that decades of coronavirus research—including SARS and MERS—have implicated galectins as therapeutic targets. Bioxytran is now translating that research into clinical innovation.
With active IND status, positive Phase 2 data, and a robust development pipeline spanning infectious disease, cancer, and emergency care, Bioxytran is positioning itself as a frontrunner in the next generation of precision medicine.
“Currently, there are no true broad-spectrum antivirals in existence. We’re aiming to disrupt a $55.36 billion global antiviral market.”
— Mike Sheikh, CCO of Bioxytran
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