More great news from MBI.
Attention Business Editors:
MICROLOGIX' PEPTIDE ANTIBIOTICS CAN CONTROL LETHAL SYSTEMIC BACTERIAL
INFECTIONS
VANCOUVER, Sept. 26 /CNW/ - Micrologix Biotech Inc. announced today
results from pro-clinical studies demonstrating that following intravenous
administration, a peptide antibiotic under development by the company, can
control lethal systemic bacterial infections in animal models of human
disease.
``This is a critical step forward,'' says Dr. Michael West, Director of
Research for Micrologix. ``We were the first company to announce success in
the treatment of systemic infections with antimicrobial cationic peptides. We
have now shown that we can deliver one of our lead compound candidates
directly into the blood where it is effective in controlling severe bacterial
infections,''
Lethal levels of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or
Staphylococcus epidermidis, were used to infect mice by injection into the
abdominal cavity. These bacteria are major causes of more than 600,000
cases annually of blood stream, surgical wound and other infections acquired
by patients in North American hospitals. MRSA is resistant to virtually all
known antibiotics, with vancomycin being the drug of last resort.
In one study, mice infected with MRSA were treated with doses of the
compound administered intravenously 10 minutes pre-infection to 10 minutes
post-infection. All mice from the control group, which were infected but not
treated, died between 6 and 8 hours post-infection, whereas treated mice
survived for up to 12 hours following infection.
In another study, a single dose of the same compound was administered to
mice intravenously 15 minutes following infection with Staphylococcus
epidermidis. All mice in the infected, untreated control group died within 72
hours while in 40% of the treated Mice, the infection was completely
controlled as measured by survival eight days following infection.
Micrologix is proceeding with further animal studies to establish the
optimal administration route and dosing regimen for controlling systemic
infections caused by the most problematic pathogens including resistant
strains of Staphylococcus epidermis and Staphylococcus aureus.
``Although this research in animal models of human disease is still at an
early stage, these results demonstrate that our antimicrobial peptides protect
against two of the most prevalent, and often drug-resistant hospital-acquired
pathogens,'' says Dr. West.
``Even more importantly,'' adds Dr. West, ``these studies indicate that
Micrologix' peptide antibiotics have the potential to cure infections when
injected intravenously, a common route for adrninistration of conventional
antibiotics.''
Micrologix Biotech Inc. is a Canadian biopharmaceutical company
dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel
anti-infective compounds, The company's drug development program is based on
proprietary technologies and extensive expertise in the molecular basis of
microbial infections. |
