Polyphor AG presented yesterday new data from pulmonary delivery of its lead antibacterial candidate of the novel Outer Membrane Protein Targeting Antibiotic class, murepavadin, at the 42nd European Cystic Fibrosis Conference in Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Polyphor AG (SIX: POLN) presented yesterday new data from pulmonary delivery of its lead antibacterial candidate of the novel Outer Membrane Protein Targeting Antibiotic (OMPTA) class, murepavadin, at the 42nd European Cystic Fibrosis Conference in Liverpool, United Kingdom.
The results from an in vivo study, which investigated the pharmacokinetics, tolerability and efficacy of murepavadin in neutropenic mouse lung infection models against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), demonstrated linear, dose proportional, pharmacokinetics when administered by intratracheal application. Exposure of the epithelial lining fluid to murepavadin was favorable compared to that in plasma. Murepavadin displayed potent activity toward PA infections when delivered intratracheally. Initial experiments further suggest that murepavadin was well tolerated when administered by inhalation route.
In order to support and accelerate the development of a novel inhaled formulation of murepavadin, Polyphor is leveraging a European program dedicated to the development of inhaled antibiotics, iABC (inhaled Antibiotics in Bronchiectasis and Cystic fibrosis). The iABC project is a Europe-wide program run by a consortium of leading lung specialists in 18 hospitals and research institutions in eight European countries. These institutions will receive up to EUR 5 million funding for this project, under grant agreement 115721 from the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), a public-private partnership of EFPIA (European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations) and the EU, while Polyphor will invest up to EUR 5 million.
“Respiratory infections, especially those caused by drug-resistant bacteria, are the main cause of disease and death in people with cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis. New treatment options are urgently needed to fight resistant pathogens, especially resistant Pseudomonas strains,” commented Daniel Obrecht, Chief Scientific Officer of Polyphor. “Murepavadin is a precision antibiotic specifically targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the main cause of chronic lung infection in cystic fibrosis. The in vivo data presented are encouraging and we are looking forward to further developing the inhaled formulation of murepavadin within the iABC project, which will be an important step to find a new treatment option to improve the quality of life and increase life expectancy of these patients.”
For further information please contact:
For Investors:
Kalina Scott
Chief Financial Officer
Polyphor Ltd.
Tel: +41 61 567 16 67
Email: IR@polyphor.com
For Media:
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group AG
Tel: +41 43 268 32 31
Email: amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
About Polyphor
Polyphor is a clinical stage, Swiss biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of antibiotics and immuno-oncology compounds. It has discovered and is developing the OMPTA (Outer Membrane Protein Targeting Antibiotics). The OMPTA are potentially the first new class of antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria to have reached phase III stage in the last 50 years. The company’s lead OMPTA, murepavadin, (POL7080) is in Phase III development against Pseudomonas aeruginosa - recognized as a critical priority 1 pathogen by WHO; in addition, Polyphor is developing a pipeline of further preclinical antibiotics based on its OMPTA platform. Polyphor is also developing an immuno-oncology candidate, balixafortide (POL6326), which is starting a Phase III trial in combination with eribulin in patients with advanced breast cancer, and exploring in parallel its potential for further combinations and indications. Polyphor is based in Allschwil near Basel and is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: POLN). For more information, please visit www.polyphor.com.
About IMI
The Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) is working to improve health by speeding up the development of, and patient access to, the next generation of medicines, particularly in areas where there is an unmet medical or social need. It does this by facilitating collaboration between the key players involved in healthcare research, including universities, pharmaceutical companies, other companies active in healthcare research, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), patient organizations, and medicines regulators. This approach has proven highly successful, and IMI projects are delivering exciting results that are helping to advance the development of urgently needed new treatments in diverse areas.
IMI is a partnership between the European Union and the European pharmaceutical industry, represented by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). Through the IMI2 program, IMI has a budget of EUR3.3 billion for the period 2014-2020. Half of this comes from the EU’s research and innovation program, Horizon 2020. The other half comes from large companies, mostly from the pharmaceutical sector; these do not receive any EU funding, but contribute to the projects ‘in kind’, for example by donating their researchers’ time or providing access to research facilities or resources.
More info on IMI: www.imi.europa.eu
Disclaimer
This press release contains forward-looking statements which are based on current assumptions and forecasts of the Polyphor management. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors could lead to material differences between the forward-looking statements made here and the actual development, in particular Polyphor’s results, financial situation, and performance. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only of the date of this communication. Polyphor disclaims any intention or obligation to update and revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The communication reflects Polyphor’s view and neither IMI nor the European Union, EFPIA, or any Associated Partners are responsible for any use that maybe made of the information contained therein.
