OrPro Presents ORP-100 Results at Cystic Fibrosis Conference

OrPro Therapeutics, Inc. is presenting the newest data concerning its leading pre-clinical therapeutic, ORP-100, at the 28th Annual North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference held October 9-11 in Atlanta. ORP-100 is being developed to treat cystic fibrosis by attacking the pathological, adhesive mucus found in patients’ lungs.

According to a press release, a representative from the company will present the poster “A Novel Inhaled Mucus-Normalizing Therapy For Cystic Fibrosis,” which details in vitro and in vivo characterization of ORP-100. Results show ORP-100 alters the properties of sputum from cystic fibrosis patients by making it less viscous and less adhesive. It is also non-inflammatory in animals, even at doses many times higher than those that will be used in humans.

A patent-pending mechanism lies behind the efficacy of ORP-100. The compound is an aerosolized formulation of recombinant human thioredoxin. Thioredoxin is naturally-produced and is an enzyme that clears mucus secretions by disrupting the bonds between mucin protein chains. The targeted, site-specific enzyme is unique to other mucus-modifying treatments, as it remains bound to mucin, facilitating clearance and preventing new bond formation. ORP-100 is potent and long-lasting, which may benefit future human dosing requirements.

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Studies were conducted in collaboration with National Jewish Health, which is based in Denver, Colorado. OrPro also collaborates with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the University of North Carolina Medical Center in Chapel Hill. Funding for the research was provided by the National Institutes of Health.

OrPro Therapeutics, Inc. is a pre-clinical stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in San Diego, CA. The company’s goal is to develop a breakthrough class of safe, well-tolerated and more effective inhaled, non-systemic drugs based on the thioredoxin active site for the treatment of patients with serious obstructive pulmonary diseases.