NMRC Reports Results for Campylobacter Controlled Human Infection Model Study
October 04 2024 - 6:30AM
Immuron Limited (ASX: IMC; NASDAQ: IMRN), is an Australian based
and globally integrated biopharmaceutical company that has
developed two commercially available oral immunotherapeutic
products for the treatment of gut mediated diseases. Following
discussion with the US Naval Medical Research Command (NMRC), today
the Company can announce that the NMRC has completed the interim
analysis for the clinical evaluation of a new oral therapeutic
targeting Campylobacter and Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli
(ETEC).
The results of this clinical trial are unrelated
to Travelan® and do not impact Immuron’s plans to hold an end of
Phase 2 meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
with a view to initiating Phase 3 clinical trial(s) of Travelan® in
2H 2025. Nor does this NMRC trial impact on Immuron’s
commercialization strategy for Travelan®. This commercialization
strategy also includes the results of the Uniformed Services
University clinical study (n=866) of Travelan® which is 85%
recruited with topline results anticipated in April 2025
(NCT04605783).
The details of the trial are available at
clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06122870 . The trial was funded by the
NMRC. Immuron’s involvement in the study was to produce a
hyperimmune bovine colostrum product using the NMRC developed
campylobacter/ETEC vaccine which was tested in a controlled human
infection model study.
Campylobacter jejuni is among the most common
causes of diarrheal disease worldwide. Relatively little is known
regarding what constitutes protective immunity against
Campylobacter and there is currently no licensed vaccine to prevent
disease caused by C. jejuni. C. jejuni is considered an invasive
enteric pathogen, but the molecular details of its pathogenesis
remain difficult to interpret or understand largely due to the lack
of reliable, non-primate animal models of disease. To address this
unmet medical need, the NMRC developed a conjugated vaccine using
the Campylobacter jejuni capsule crosslinked to the colonization
factor antigen 1 (CFA/1) of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli
(ETEC). These key antigenic targets are predicted to be protective
against diarrhea induced by both pathogens. Immuron used the
conjugated vaccine to produce a new hyperimmune anti-microbial for
clinical evaluation by the NMRC. The NMRC confirmed that the
conjugated vaccine produced a robust immunological response in cows
and reported that the new Hyper-immune therapeutic contains high
levels of antibodies which specifically target Campylobacter jejuni
capsule and CFA/1 (ASX Announcement 9 November 2020).
Immuron has been advised by NMRC that the safety
and protective efficacy of the product was tested in a controlled
human infection-model clinical trial focusing on the ability of the
hyperimmune product to protect volunteers against moderate to
severe campylobacteriosis. A total of 27 volunteers were enrolled
in the randomized, placebo-controlled trial and randomly assigned
to either the active or placebo arm of the study. The interim
results demonstrated 10.4% protective efficacy
against moderate to severe campylobacteriosis following challenge
with Campylobacter compared to the placebo group. Data analysis by
the NRMC continues, including secondary and exploratory endpoints,
which may provide insights as to why protective efficacy for
CampETEC for was lower than that achieved in similar studies with
Travelan®. Immuron is not privy to any further details of the study
at this time, pending the presentation of findings described
below.
Dr Frédéric Poly, the principal Investigator of
the study, will present the findings for the NMRC CampETEC clinical
study at the 22nd International Workshop on Campylobacter,
Helicobacter & Related Organisms (CHRO 2024) which commences on
7 October 2024 at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. A
copy of the presentation will be made available on the Company
website once it is made available to the Company.
Travelan® demonstrated clinical efficacy in
preventing ETEC-attributable diarrhea in two previous CHIM studies.
These studies showed dosing 400 mg three times daily, resulted in
76.7% to 90.9% protection (Otto et al., 2011) and
more recently 36.4% protective efficacy in a
single daily dose Phase 2 study designed to compare the
preventative effects of once daily dosing to the current standard
recommended treatment of three times daily dosing (ASX Announcement
7 March 2024). This Phase 2 single dose trial also produced
clinically relevant secondary endpoints (ASX Announcement 8 August
2024).
The vaccine used in CampETEC was a conjugated
vaccine for both campylobacter and ETEC. The NMRC recently received
U.S. Department of Defense funding to develop a new campylobacter
vaccine not conjugated with ETEC as well as new vaccines for
shigella and different strains of E.coli. The plan is to develop
new hyperimmune products which specifically target each of these
pathogens in collaboration with Immuron. NRMC and Walter Reed Army
Institute of Research (WRAIR) are now developing an enhanced
formulation of Travelan potentially expanding the coverage of the
product as a therapeutic measure against endemic military relevant
diarrheal pathogens (ASX announcement 16 August 2024).
Infectious diarrhea is the most common illness
reported by travelers visiting developing countries and among US
troops deployed overseas. The morbidity and associated discomfort
stemming from diarrhea decreases daily performance, affects
judgment, decreases morale and declines operational readiness. The
first line of treatment for infectious diarrhea is the prescription
of antibiotics. Unfortunately, in the last decade, several enteric
pathogens have had an increasing resistance to commonly prescribed
antibiotics. In addition, traveler’s diarrhea is now recognized by
the medical community to result in post-infectious sequelae,
including post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome and several
post-infectious autoimmune diseases. A preventative treatment that
protects against enteric diseases is a high priority objective for
the US Military.
This release has been authorized by the
directors of Immuron Limited.
COMPANY CONTACT:
Steven LydeamoreChief Executive OfficerPh: +61
(0)3 9824 5254steve@immuron.com
About Travelan®
Travelan® is an orally administered passive
immunotherapy that prophylactically reduces the likelihood of
contracting traveler’s diarrhea, a digestive tract disorder that is
commonly caused by pathogenic bacteria and the toxins they produce.
Travelan® is a highly purified tableted preparation of hyperimmune
bovine antibodies and other factors, which when taken with meals
bind to diarrhea-causing bacteria and prevent colonization and the
pathology associated with traveler’s diarrhea. In Australia,
Travelan® is a listed medicine on the Australian Register for
Therapeutic Goods (AUST L 106709) and is indicated to reduce the
risk of Traveler’s Diarrhea, reduce the risk of minor
gastrointestinal disorders and is antimicrobial. In Canada,
Travelan® is a licensed natural health product (NPN 80046016) and
is indicated to reduce the risk of Traveler’s Diarrhea. In the
U.S., Travelan® is sold as a dietary supplement for digestive tract
protection.
About Traveler’s Diarrhea
Traveler’s Diarrhea is a gastrointestinal
infection with symptoms that include loose, watery (and
occasionally bloody) stools, abdominal cramping, bloating, and
fever, Enteropathogenic bacteria are responsible for most cases,
with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) playing a dominant
causative role. Campylobacter spp. are also responsible for a
significant proportion of cases. The more serious infections with
Salmonella spp. the bacillary dysentery organisms belonging to
Shigella spp. and Vibrio spp. (the causative agent of cholera) are
often confused with Traveler’s Diarrhea as they may be contracted
while travelling and initial symptoms are often
indistinguishable.
About ImmuronImmuron Limited
(ASX: IMC, NASDAQ: IMRN), is an Australian biopharmaceutical
company focused on developing and commercializing orally delivered
targeted polyclonal antibodies for the treatment of infectious
diseases.
For more information visit:
http://www.immuron.com
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