Interview with Christian Lütken on his partnership with Ecraid
Pharma Holdings CEO shares why ECRAID-Prime was the right fit to evaluate their intranasal antiviral compound in primary care.
How did Pharma Holdings first come into contact with Ecraid?
When we first came into contact with Ecraid, we were looking for the right clinical development pathway for our intranasally administered antiviral spray. We had already developed the product and were exploring different European initiatives and organisations that could support the next step. ECRAID-Prime quickly stood out because it offered a structure that was highly relevant to what we wanted to achieve: testing an intervention for infectious diseases in primary care, in patients at an early stage of illness.
Why was the primary care setting particularly important for you?
If you can intervene early, before patients become seriously ill or need hospital care, the potential benefit is much greater — for the individual patient, but also from a societal and health-economic perspective. In Norway, as in many countries, the vast majority of patients are first seen in primary care. So, it makes
sense to build a strong European infrastructure that can study infectious disease interventions in that setting.
What has your experience of working with Ecraid been like?
The collaboration with Ecraid has been professional and proactive. Ecraid is rooted in academia, and the team understands the scientific requirements, but also the need to The collaboration with Ecraid has been professional and proactive. Ecraid is rooted in academia, and the team understands the scientific requirements, but also the need to make progress.
We have also benefited from the wider expertise within the Ecraid-network, including statistical input from the University of Oxford, which was important when discussing endpoints, sample size and the complexities of assessing antiviral efficacy across several respiratory viruses.
What attracted you to the adaptive platform trial approach?
An adaptive platform trial was attractive because it offers an efficient way to evaluate interventions within an existing trial infrastructure. We once considered applying for a US-based platform trial. So, we were familiar with the concept, but this was our first time participating in such a platform.
Was participating in a platform trial different from running your own trial as a sponsor?
It was different from running our own trial as sponsor; at times it required us to accept a different role, being consulted and kept informed rather than driving every operational decision ourselves. That was a learning experience. But overall, it has been a very positive one.
What are you most pleased with about the trial?
The recruitment was completed within the scheduled timeframe, which we are very pleased with. For an infectious disease company focussed on early treatment, ECRAID-Prime has been an excellent fit.
This interview was part of the Ecraid Annual Report 2025. Read it here.
About Pharma Holdings AS
Pharma Holdings AS is a privately owned, clinical-stage pharmaceutical company based in Norway, with offices in Oslo and Tromsø. Founded in 2017, the company focuses on developing innovative antimicrobial treatments, including its lead candidate LTX-109, an antiviral treatment targeting respiratory infections.