Lakewood-Amedex Biotherapeutics has announced promising data on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) for its lead compound, Nu-3, which is being developed as a topical treatment for infected diabetic foot ulcers (iDFU).
Nu-3 belongs to a new Bisphosphocin class of antimicrobials, which the company is also investigating in pre-clinical studies for complicated urinary tract and pulmonary infections.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Bisphosphocin compounds have demonstrated in vitro rapid bactericidal activity, disrupting bacterial cell membranes through a pH and concentration-dependent process, often within one minute of exposure.
This approach may address antibiotic-resistant strains, such as methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE).
In laboratory tests, E. coli and MRSA were exposed to Nu-3 for 21 days. The results showed a slight increase in the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for E. coli, while MRSA showed no change.
In comparison, the MIC for ciprofloxacin rose over 2,000-fold for E. coli and more than 600-fold for MRSA under similar conditions. Nu-3 also maintained its original MIC when tested on bacteria that had developed resistance to ciprofloxacin, suggesting no cross-resistance.
Lakewood-Amedex Biotherapeutics CEO Kelvin Cooper said: “In experiments designed to induce resistance, the Bisphosphocin class has maintained its in vitro efficacy and potency, demonstrating a very low potential for resistance development, which confers enormous potential for our Nu-3 candidate targeting iDFU, and more broadly, as we work towards solutions for antimicrobial resistance, a major health challenge for our society.”
Lakewood-Amedex Biotherapeutics chief medical officer and clinical development senior vice president Thomas Balzer said: “Drug-resistant pathogens are a rising threat that have rendered many existing antibiotics ineffective, leading to increased mortality as well as higher healthcare costs and longer hospital stays.”
“Of the approximately 830 million people who suffer from diabetes globally, about one third will develop a DFU in their life, of which about 50% will become infected, with many patients experiencing multiple infection events through their lives. We are developing Nu-3 to meet this very large, critically underserved treatment need.”
