ContraFect Corporation (Nasdaq:
CFRX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on
the discovery and development of direct lytic agents (DLAs),
including lysins and amurin peptides as new medical modalities for
the treatment of life-threatening, antibiotic-resistant infections,
announces today the presentation of data showing significant
activity of its direct lytic agents against the most drug-resistant
Gram-negative pathogens, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.
aeruginosa), Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) and Burkholderia
spp, at ASM Microbe 2023 held from June 15-19, 2023 in Houston,
Texas.
“The data presented at ASM Microbe is quite
powerful. Our ability to demonstrate the potent efficacy of CF-370
in animals infected with lethal strains of Pseudomonas, Klebsiella
and Acinetobacter holds great promise for the clinical utility of
CF-370 in patients with either hospital-acquired or
ventilator-associated pneumonia (HAP/VAP), including patients with
compromised immune systems from cancer, age, or other
comorbidities,” said Roger J. Pomerantz, MD, President, Chief
Executive Officer, and Chairman of ContraFect. “Along with the new
data showing our ability to engineer agents with potent activity
against extremely difficult to treat species of Burkholderia and
Yersinia, I believe the ContraFect platform represents one of the
last remaining paths towards conquering antimicrobial resistance
for the foreseeable future.”
All meeting presentations referenced below are
available on the ContraFect website.
ASM Microbe 2023
Presentations:
Presentation Title:
Efficacy of lysin CF-370 in addition to amikacin or meropenem in a
neutropenic rabbit lung infection model caused by Klebsiella
pneumoniae
In the first study using this challenging model
of pulmonary infection, neutropenic animals were infected with a
susceptible strain of K. pneumoniae and treated with dose regimens
of amikacin and CF-370 administered alone and CF-370 administered
as both a single dose and in multiple doses in addition to
amikacin. Both dose regimens of CF-370 in addition to amikacin
significantly reduced bacteria counts compared to all other
treatment groups (p≤0.0001).
In the second study using the same model,
neutropenic animals were infected with an extensively
drug-resistant (XDR) strain of K. pneumoniae obtained from the
Center for Disease Control and Food and Drug Administration
Antibiotic Resistance Isolate Bank and treated with dose regimens
of meropenem and CF-370 administered alone and CF-370 administered
in multiple doses in addition to meropenem. The only treatment arm
to achieve a significant reduction in bacterial density occurred
with the administration of multiple doses of CF-370 in addition to
meropenem as compared to all other treatment arms (p≤0.0002).
The results of this study reproduce the efficacy
seen in previously released data presented at ECCMID 2023 further
demonstrating the bactericidal power of CF-370 against XDR strains
of Gram-negative pathogens. In the previous study using the same
model, CF-370 achieved the most significant reduction in bacterial
density of XDR P. aeruginosa when administered in multiple doses in
addition to amikacin as compared to all other treatment arms
(p=0.0018 vs. amikacin alone, p=0.0083 vs. CF-370 alone, and
p=0.0279 vs. CF-370 single dose + amikacin).
Presentation Title: Engineered
lysins with potent in vitro activity against Burkholderia spp. and
Yersinia pestis
After multiple in vitro studies, including the
determination of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values,
time-kill assays, fluorometric uptake assays for
N-Phenyl-1-naphthylamine (NPN) to demonstrate the disruption of the
outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria and testing for hemolysis
of human red blood cells, the Company has selected 18 lysins with
highly potent and extremely rapid bactericidal activity against
Burkholderia spp and Yersinia pestis and, importantly, no hemolytic
activity, for further preclinical development and selection for
progression into animal efficacy studies.
Presentation Title:
PK-PD relationships and PK drivers of efficacy of the novel
antibacterial lysin CF-370 in a rabbit pneumonia model caused by a
carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa
In preparation for the study of CF-370 in human
clinical trials, the Company studied the relationship between
CF-370 exposure and efficacy in a rabbit pneumonia model caused by
a carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa. Corroborating the results
seen in previous animal studies, CF-370 administered as a single
dose of 5, 10, 20 or 30 mg/kg or fractionated doses of 2.50, 3.33,
6.67 and 10 mg/kg, all in addition to meropenem, achieved a
significant reduction in bacterial density compared to either
meropenem or CF-370 administered alone (p≤0.05). The Company also
determined the appropriate PK target to drive clinical efficacy for
CF-370 when administered in addition to standard of care
antibiotics.
Presentation Title: Efficacy of
single and daily dose of lysin CF-296 in addition to daptomycin in
a rat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
osteomyelitis model
In this rat study, CF-296 was delivered
systemically into the jugular vein (both with and without
daptomycin) to treat osteomyelitis resulting from
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) implantation.
While all treatment groups showed activity compared to a placebo
control, the greatest reduction in the concentration of bacteria
colonies was demonstrated with CF-296 administered daily in
addition to daptomycin (p=0.0003).
The results of this study reinforce previously
released data demonstrating the power of both CF-296 and exebacase
when delivered locally in the rabbit osteomyelitis model. The
demonstrated ability of the Company’s antistaphylococcal lysins to
achieve no detectable levels of bacteria in animals underpins the
ongoing Phase 1b/2 study of exebacase in patients with chronic
prosthetic joint infections (PJI) of the knee due to Staphylococcus
aureus (S. aureus) or Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci (CoNS).
About ContraFect
ContraFect is a biotechnology company focused on
the discovery and development of DLAs, including lysins and amurin
peptides, as new medical modalities for the treatment of
life-threatening, antibiotic-resistant infections. An estimated
700,000 deaths worldwide each year are attributed to
antimicrobial-resistant infections. We intend to address life
threatening infections using therapeutic product candidates
generated from our proprietary platform of DLAs. Lysins are a new
class of DLAs which are recombinantly produced antimicrobial
proteins with a novel mechanism of action associated with the rapid
killing of target bacteria, eradication of biofilms and synergy
with conventional antibiotics. Amurin peptides are a novel class of
DLAs which exhibit broad-spectrum activity against a wide range of
antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative pathogens. We believe that the
properties of our lysins and amurin peptides will make them
suitable for targeting antibiotic-resistant organisms, such as
MRSA, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, which can
cause serious infections such as bacteremia and pneumonia. We are
currently enrolling patients in a Phase 1b/2 of exebacase being
conducted in France in the setting of an arthroscopic debridement,
antibiotics, irrigation, and retention (DAIR) procedure in patients
with chronic prosthetic joint infections (PJI) of the knee due to
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) or Coagulase-Negative
Staphylococci (CoNS).
Follow ContraFect on Twitter
@ContraFectCorp and
LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains, and our officers
and representatives may make from time to time, “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws.
Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as
“projects,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “believes,”
“expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “intends,” “plans,”
“potential,” “promise” or similar references to future periods.
Examples of forward-looking statements in this release include,
without limitation, the ASM Microbe presentations, statements made
by Dr. Pomerantz, the data presented and statements made regarding
the same, ContraFect’s ability to discover and develop DLAs as new
medical modalities for the treatment of life-threatening,
antibiotic-resistant infections, whether direct lytic agents,
including CF-370, show significant activity and potency against the
most drug resistant Gram-negative pathogens, whether the ContraFect
platform represents one of the last remaining paths towards
conquering antimicrobial resistance, whether ContraFect will
address life-threatening infections using therapeutic candidates
from its DLA platform, whether lysins are a new class of DLAs which
are recombinantly produced, antimicrobial proteins with a novel
mechanism of action associated with the rapid killing of target
bacteria, eradication of biofilms and synergy with conventional
antibiotics, whether amurins are a novel class of DLAs which
exhibit broad-spectrum activity against a wide range of
antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative pathogens, whether the
properties of ContraFect’s lysins and amurins will make them
suitable for targeting antibiotic-resistant organisms, such as
MRSA, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii and
statements made regarding the Phase 1b/2 trial in France.
Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical
facts, nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are
based on ContraFect’s current beliefs, expectations and assumptions
regarding the future of its business, future plans, strategies,
projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other
future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the
future, they are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties and
changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of
which are beyond ContraFect’s control, including, without
limitation, that ContraFect has and expects to continue to incur
significant losses, ContraFect’s need for additional funding, which
may not be available, the occurrence of any adverse events related
to the discovery, development and commercialization of ContraFect’s
product candidates such as unfavorable clinical trial results,
insufficient supplies of drug products, the lack of regulatory
approval, or the unsuccessful attainment or maintenance of patent
protection, changes in management may negatively affect
ContraFect’s business and other important risks detailed under the
caption “Risk Factors” in ContraFect's Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2022 and its other filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ from
those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Any
forward-looking statement made by ContraFect in this press release
is based only on information currently available and speaks only as
of the date on which it is made. Except as required by applicable
law, ContraFect expressly disclaims any obligations to publicly
update any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral,
that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new
information, future developments or otherwise.
Investor Relations
Contacts:
Michael MessingerContraFect CorporationEmail:
mmessinger@contrafect.com
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