Our portfolio company MGB BioPharma, a biopharmaceutical company who is developing a novel class of anti-infectives, to address the major global problem of antibiotic resistance, has today announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada have cleared Investigational New Drug applications (IND/CTA) for its lead candidate.
MGB-BP-3 is a novel antibiotic that targets Clostridium difficile-Associated Diarrhoea (CDAD). The Company intends to commence its dose-range finding Phase IIa clinical trial, in the US and Canada, on MGB-BP-3 for the treatment of CDAD in Q1 2019.
MGB-BP-3 is a potent bactericidal antibiotic with a completely novel mode of action that is active against a broad range of important multi-resistant and susceptible Gram-positive pathogens. The oral formulation of MGB-BP-3 is being developed specifically for the treatment of CDAD, an infection to which the most frequent occurrence of diarrhoea in hospitals in developed countries is attributed. These infections have a high mortality rate, with 1 out of every 11 patients aged 65 or older dying within 30 days of diagnosis.
MGB Biopharma believes that MGB-BP-3 has the potential to offer a new paradigm in the treatment of CDAD because it kills C. difficile very quickly whilst still in its vegetative form, before it sporulates. The amount of dormant C. difficile spores formed during therapy with MGB-BP-3, compared to the amount formed during therapy with alternative bacteriostatic antibiotics, should therefore be reduced, resulting in a significant reduction of disease recurrence. MGB-BP-3 has also shown a strong bactericidal effect against hypervirulent strain BI/NAP1/027 (in addition to other tested strains), which is less responsive to current antibacterial therapy.
The planned Phase IIa trial will assess the initial cure and sustained cure rates that MGB-BP-3 delivers in the treatment of CDAD. Dr Thomas Louie, a clinical professor at the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Alberta, Calgary (Canada) will be the trial’s Principal Investigator. Headline results from the trial are anticipated in Q3 2019.
Dr Louie said:
“C. difficile infection represents a major burden to the Canadian and US healthcare systems. A novel antibiotic that is able to kill this deadly pathogen before it is able to sporulate offers new hope to patients and their families who suffer the pain and misery caused by this disease.”
Dr Miroslav Ravic, CEO of MGB Biopharma, said:
“We are delighted that the FDA and Health Canada have cleared our IND/CTA applications. Our Phase IIa trial will mark a significant milestone in the progress of MGB-BP-3. We believe that having a bactericidal antibiotic like MGB-BP-3 available, which is able to kill bacteria before sporulation, will clearly offer a differentiated treatment option for patients with life threatening infections caused by resistant or hyper-virulent C. difficile. We are looking forward to working with Dr Louie, a well-known expert in the treatment of CDAD, to start a Phase IIa trial in the coming months. This trial will be a key step in bringing MGB-BP-3 closer to the market.”
For more information please visit www.mgb-biopharma.com or follow MGB Biopharma on Twitter @MGB_Biopharma
