Privately-held Synspira touted a study today of its inhaled glycopolymer-based therapeutic with antibiotics as a potential treatment for pulmonary infection caused by the Burkholderia cepacia complex in patients with cystic fibrosis.
The study was published in PLOS One. Synspira’s lead polycationic glycopolymer, SNSP113, was studied in combination with tobramycin and meropenem. These antibiotics, as well as ceftazidime, are often used to treat Bcc infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. However, Synspira said the microbial agents have demonstrated limited efficacy in the past.
Synspira reported that its inhaled PAAG candidate acted in a synergy with the antibiotics in vitro, binding to the outer membrane of the bacteria and permeating them upon contact.
“The results published in PLOS ONE demonstrate that our inhaled glycopolymer drug candidate, PAAG, has the potential to significantly enhance the activity of antibiotics that are used for the treatment of lung infections caused by Burkholderia cepacia complex, a relatively uncommon but often fatal infection in cystic fibrosis,” Synspira CEO Shenda Baker said in prepared remarks. “By breaking down the outer membrane of the bacteria, PAAG makes bacteria more susceptible to antibiotics, even in species that were previously resistant to antibiotic therapy. We believe that our formulated drug SNSP113 using PAAG has the potential to address a key unmet need in these types of infections and to be a new approach to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance in pulmonary indications.”
“Unfortunately, Burkholderia cepacia complex infections are some of the most difficult to treat infections among persons with cystic fibrosis and can result in permanent loss of pulmonary function and early death,” Dr. John LiPuma, from the University of Michigan Medical School, said. “There is a tremendous need for agents that can actively target Bcc and improve patient outcomes.”
