#NACFC2016 – Potential Treatment for Resistant CF Lung Infections Moving Toward US Clinical Testing

TGV-inhalonix reported  that its therapeutic agent Mul-1867  is continuing to show promise in treating antibiotic-resistant lung infections — namely, mixed bacterial and fungal infections — in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), and it is planning to bring the treatment into clinical testing in the U.S. within two years.

Data on Mul-1867’s efficacy against poorly treated mixed infections in 15 CF patients was presented at the recent 30th Annual North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference (NACFC) held in Orlando, Florida.

Mul-1867 is a nebulized solution designed for self-administration, and the first drug being developed to address mixed bacterial and bacterial-fungal respiratory infections in CF patients. Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designated Mul-1867 an Orphan Drug, providing TGV-inhalonix with incentives for its development.

The presentation at NACFC 2016 followed one based on an animal study, made at the recent 39th European Cystic Fibrosis Conference in Basil, Switzerland, as well as a presentation on the effectiveness of Mul-1867 at the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Microbe 2016.

“There are a number of new drugs being tested to fight the chronic lung infections that plague cystic fibrosis patients, but Mul-1867 is the first drug candidate under development that holds promise against multiple strains of bacteria, as well those infections caused by a mix of bacteria and fungi,” George Tetz, a researcher with TGV-inhalonix, said in a press release.

CF is an inherited disorder caused by mutations in both copies of the gene for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. The disease causes severe damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organ. CF affects the cells that produce mucus, sweat, and digestive juices. People with CF have sticky and thick secretions, including in mucus in the lungs, leaving them vulnerable to infections.

According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry, more than 30,000 people  in the U.S. are living with CF (more than 70,000 worldwide), and approximately 1,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Effective treatment strategies are needed.