Wuppertal, August 26, 2009 – AiCuris announces today that the first phase II study with its novel non-nucleosidic HCMV compound AIC246 in transplant recipients has been completed successfully.
Results of the study will be presented on September 14th during the forthcoming 49th ICAAC (“Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy”) meeting in San Francisco. The slide presentation will give an overview of the phase I and II clinical trials conducted so far and the resistance breaking properties of AIC246.
“We are very pleased to have completed the proof of concept study for our lead compound in HCMV and are looking forward to the further development of this promising new chemical entity in the prophylactic and pre-emptive treatment of HCMV infections in immune compromised patients,” says Helga Rübsamen-Schaeff, CEO of AiCuris.
About HCMV
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a beta herpes virus, represents an important pathogen for immune compromised individuals, as well as the major infectious cause of birth defects. It is the most common virus pathogen in solid organ transplant recipients (kidney, heart, liver, lung and pancreas) as well as for bone marrow transplant recipients and is the major cause of morbidity and mortality during the first six months after transplantation. CMV disease is characterised by fever, leucopenia (very low white blood cells) and thrombocytopenia (very low platelet numbers) with or without specific organ dysfunction. Two main strategies to prevent CMV disease have been adopted: prophylaxis of organ recipients with antiviral agents, or pre-emptive treatment of solid organ recipients, who develop evidence of CMV infection during routine screening.
About AiCuris
AiCuris GmbH & Co KG, a spin-out from Bayer HealthCare, is a privately held company located in Wuppertal, Germany. It is devoted to research and clinical development of novel, resistance-breaking drugs for the treatment of HCMV, Herpes, Hepatitis B, HIV and Hepatitis C as well as resistant Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial infections in hospitals. Furthermore, the portfolio comprises two immune modulators.
