Saturday September 25, 4:24 pm Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Microcide Pharmaceuticals
Microcide Pharmaceuticals Announces Presentation of 16 Papers At the 39th Annual ICAAC Conference
Presentations by Scientists From Microcide, Johnson and Johnson and Daiichi On Compounds From Microcide's Targeted Antimicrobial Program
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Microcide Pharmaceuticals' scientists will present 16 research papers (15 related to advancements in its targeted antimicrobial programs) at the 39th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) in San Francisco, September 25- 29. Key among the presentations are seven papers documenting preclinical results of Microcide's leading beta-lactam antibiotic, a novel cephalosporin the company and its development partner, Johnson and Johnson, have tested for its efficacy against Gram-positive bacteria. Scientists from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the Central Public Health Laboratory in the UK will present independent findings on the compound's activity profile.
This compound is a cephalosporin with excellent bactericidal activity (in vitro and in vivo) against Gram-positive bacteria including methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus, penicillin-resistant Staphylococcus, macrolide- resistant Staphylococcus, fluoroquinolone-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus. The incidence of these problematic pathogens continues to increase worldwide and clinicians urgently need additional therapeutic agents to combat them.
The company's chief scientist and senior vice president, George H. Miller, Ph.D., will co-chair the New Antimicrobial Agents session on Sunday, September 26. Dr. Olga Lomovskaya of Microcide will present a paper at this session summarizing research on antibacterial and antifungal efflux pump inhibitors conducted by Microcide and Daiichi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. scientists (Poster Summary, New Antimicrobial Agents, September 26 at 9:30 a.m., Room 135, Abstract #1268).
''We are extremely pleased that Microcide is able to summarize a broad range of its work in this session of ICAAC,'' said James E. Rurka, president and chief executive officer, Microcide Pharmaceuticals. ''We are presenting on a number of important advances in the Targeted Antibacterial Program at Microcide, the leading agent of which is nearing completion of toxicology trials, and is preparing to begin Phase I clinical trials.''
In addition to its presentations on developments in the cephalosporin program, Microcide researchers will present five papers on its Bacterial Efflux Pump technology. This program focuses on Gram-negative bacteria that have developed antibiotic resistance by means of a pump-like mechanism that expels antibiotics from the cell before lethal quantities can accumulate. Microcide is developing a potentiator that inhibits this pump action, thereby enabling the antibiotic to effectively kill the bacteria. Scientists from Microcide and Daiichi Pharmaceutical will present their progress in enhancing the activity of fluoroquinolone antibiotics against Pseudomonas.
Efflux pumps are also causes of intrinsic and acquired resistance in pathogenic fungi including Aspergillus and Candida. Microcide will present three papers at ICAAC summarizing its findings on the biology of fungal efflux pumps, the impact of inhibitors on fungal efflux pumps and their potential in vivo efficacy.
A guide to Microcide's ICAAC papers and their presentation times follows.
Presentations relating to Microcide's Gram-Positive antibiotics program are:
''Efficacy of RWJ-54428 in a Novel Murine Pouch Model Infection Caused by Methicillin-Resistant (MRSA) and Glycopeptide-intermediate Resistant (GISA) Staphylococcus aureus.'' Fernandez, J; Goldschmidt R; Bush K. (Abstract #396) Poster Session, Exhibit Hall, Boards 198-224, 9/26, 1:30 p.m.
''In vitro Activity of a New Cephalosporin, MC-02,479/RWJ-54428, Against Streptococci, Enterococci, and Staphylococci, including Glycopeptide- intermediate MRSA.'' Swenson J; Tenover F. (Abstract # 394) Poster Session, Exhibit Hall, Boards 198-224, 9/26, 1:30 p.m.
''Activity of Cephalosporin RWJ-54428 (MC-02,479) vs. Multi-Resistant Gram- positive Cocci from England and Wales.'' Livermore D; Johnson A; Warner M. (Abstract # 395) Poster Session, Exhibit Hall, Boards 198-224 , 9/26, 1:30 p.m.
''RWJ-52258 (MC-02,479): Correlation of Broth Microdilution Susceptibility Testing Results with Disk Diffusion Zone Diameters.'' Foleno B; Hillard J; Montenegro D; Blais J; Chamberland S; Dudley M; Hoang M; Miller G; Bush K. (Abstract # 393) Poster Session, Exhibit Hall, Boards 198-224, 9/26, 1:30 p.m.
''Design, Synthesis and SAR of Water-Soluble Dibasic Cephalosporins Active Against Resistant Gram-positive Bacteria.'' Cho A; Ludwikow M; Liu N; Fan A; Glinka T; Zhang Z; Price M; Chamberland S; Lee V; Hecker S. (Abstract # 392) Poster Session, Exhibit Hall, Boards 198-224, 9/26, 1:30 p.m.
''Design, Synthesis and In vitro Antibacterial Properties of Novel 3- Heteroarylthio Cephems with Anti-MRSA Activity; Amino-acid Prodrug Approach to Solubility Improvement.'' Glinka T; Frith R; Halas S; Nudelman G; Whitehead C; Cho A; Crawford J; Ludwikow M; Calkins T; Chamberland S; Price M; Hecker S; Lee V. (Abstract # 391) Poster Session, Exhibit Hall, Boards 198-224, 9/26, 1:30 p.m.
''The Novel Cephalosporin RWJ-54428 (MC-02,479) is Active Against Vancomycin-Intermediate S. aureus (VISA) in the Neutropenic Mouse Thigh Model.'' Griffith D; Chen S; Liu C; Corcoran E; Tembe V; Huie K; Blais J; Chamberland S; Dudley M. (Abstract # 1768) Poster Session, Exhibit Hall 13- 26, 9/28, 1:30 p.m.
''Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) Indices for Vancomycin (V) Treatment of Susceptible (VSSA) and Intermediate (VISA) S. aureus in the Neutropenic Mouse Thigh Model.'' Dudley M; Griffith D; Corcoran E; Liu C; Sorensen K; Tembe V; Cotter D; Chamberland S; Chen S. (Abstract # 2031) Slide Session, Room 132/133, 9/29, 8:30 am.
Presentations relating to Microcide's Bacterial Efflux Pump Program are:
''Potentiation of Levofloxacin (Levo) by a Broad-spectrum Efflux Pump Inhibitor (EPI) in Mouse Models of Infection due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA).'' Griffith D; Lomovskaya O; Lee V; Dudley M. (Abstract # 1268) Poster Session, Exhibit Hall, Boards 448-457, 9/27, 3:00 p.m.
''Inhibitors of Efflux Pumps in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Potentiate the Activity of the Fluoroquinolone Antibacterial Levofloxacin.'' Renau T; Leger R; Flamme E; Sangalang J; She M; Yen R; Ford C; Mathias K; Chamberland S; Hecker J; Lee V; Ohta T; Nakayama K. (Abstract # 1265) Poster Session, Exhibit Hall, Boards 448-457, 9/27, 3:00 p.m.
''Efflux Pump Inhibitors Enhance the Activity of Antimicrobial Agents Against a Broad Selection of Bacteria.'' Blais J; Cho D; Tangen K; Ford C; Lee A; Lomovskaya O; Chamberland S. (Abstract # 1266) Poster Session, Exhibit Hall, Boards 448-457, 9/27, 3:00 p.m.
''Prevalence of Efflux Pumps Among Clinical Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.'' Cho D; Blais J; Tangen K; Ford C; Lee A; Lomovskaya O; Chamberland S; Miller G. (Abstract # 1267) Poster Session, Exhibit Hall, Boards 448-457, 9/27, 3:00 p.m.
''Targeting Efflux Pumps in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.'' Lomovskaya O; Lee A; Warren M; Galazzo J; Fronko R; Lee M; Chamberland S; Hecker S; Lee V; Ishida H; Hoshino K. (Abstract # 1264) Poster Session Exhibit Hall, Boards 448-457, 9/27, 3:00 p.m.
Presentations relating to Microcide's Fungal Efflux Pump Program are:
''Impact of MC-510027, a Fungal Efflux Pump Inhibitor, on the Susceptibility of Clinical Isolates of Candida spp. to Antifungal Agents.'' Chamberland S; Blais J; Cotter D; Hoang M; Galazzo J; Staley A; Lee M; Miller GH. (Abstract # 1270) Poster Session, Exhibit Hall, Boards 448-457, 9/27, 3:00 p.m.
''Pharmacodynamic Assessment of Efflux- and Target-Based Resistance to Fluconazole (FLU) on Efficacy Against C. albicans in a Mouse Kidney Infection Model.'' Sorensen K; Corocoran E; Chen S; Clark D; Tember V; Lomovskaya O; Dudley M. (Abstract # 1271) Poster Session, Exhibit Hall, Boards 448-457, 9/27, 3:00 p.m.
''Inhibitors of Fungal Efflux Pumps.'' Lomovskaya O; Warren, M; Mistry, A; Staley, A; Galazzo, J. Lee, M; Sanglard, D; Miller, G. Microcide Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Institute of Microbiology, Lausanne, Switzerland. (Abstract # 1269) Poster Session, Exhibit Hall, Boards 448-457, 9/27, 3:00 p.m.
Microcide is a biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and commercialize novel antimicrobials for the improved treatment of serious bacterial, fungal and viral infections. The Company's discovery and development programs address the growing problem of bacterial drug resistance and the need for improved antifungal and antiviral agents through two principal themes: (i) Targeted Antibiotics, which focuses on developing novel antibiotics and antibiotic potentiators to directly address existing bacterial and fungal resistance problems, and (ii) Targeted Genomics, which utilizes bacterial, fungal and viral genetics to discover new classes of antimicrobials and other novel treatments for infectious diseases.
The statements in this press release that relate to Microcide completing toxicology trials and entering Phase I clinical trials with its cephalosporin compound are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties affecting Microcide's business, see the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998. Actual results and timing of certain events could differ materially from those indicated in the forward- looking statements as a result of these or other factors.
SOURCE: Microcide Pharmaceuticals
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