BEVERLY, MA–(Marketwired – Apr 14, 2014) – Cellceutix Corporation (OTCQB: CTIX) (the “Company”), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies in oncology, dermatology, and antibiotic applications, is pleased to report favorable results in a recently completed preclinical study evaluating its novel antibiotic compounds against specific strains of multi-drug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. The research, which is government funded through existing grants to research institutions, is being conducted at a major university in Texas.
In a thigh burden study of a multi-drug resistant strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae in a mouse model, Cellceutix’s defensin mimetic compound CTIX1278, was efficacious as compared to a carbapenem antibiotic that is widely used as a last line of defense against drug-resistant, Gram-negative bacteria, including Klebsiella pneumoniae. A second study is now being conducted at multiple dosing levels with various infusion parameters with the goal of increasing efficacy and further defining a treatment protocol for the compound.
“This is highly encouraging early data of CTIX1278 as it is the first example of efficacy in vivo with one of our defensin mimetic compounds versus Klebsiella pneumoniae,” comments Dr. Krishna Menon, Chief Scientific Officer at Cellceutix. ”A Gram-negative bacteria, Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the world’s most dangerous superbugs; strains of this bacteria are rapidly emerging that are resistant to virtually every antibiotic available today. The world is staring down the barrel at a growing number of bacteria that can’t be killed by available drugs and the last line of defense is wearing thin. We are very pleased with this latest study providing another piece of evidence that our defensin mimetics have the potential to introduce the first new class of antibiotic drugs in more than two decades to combat the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.”
As it conducts the second study for Klebsiella pneumoniae, the university is awaiting additional materials to begin in vivo research in models of superficial and deep tissue wounds. In these studies, infecting organisms include Gram-negative multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. This research is also being funded through existing government grants.
Separately, the Company is pleased to inform shareholders that to date: a) the Phase 2b trial of its defensin mimetic compound, Brilacidin™, for Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections (ABSSSI) is progressing with approximately 30% patient enrollment completed with no drug-related serious adverse events (SAE); b) the Phase 1 trial of Kevetrin for solid tumors is progressing with no SAE events presently in the seventh cohort of the trial; c) and patient screening is ongoing in the Phase 1 trial of Prurisol for psoriasis.