Sep 23, 2009
Lytix Biopharma presented new data on antimicrobial drug LytixarTM (LTX-109) at ICAAC

Novel antimicrobial drug demonstrates ultra-rapid effectiveness against broad range of drug-resistant pathogens including MRSA.

The Norwegian drug development company Lytix Biopharma has announced results of studies on its lead antimicrobial candidate LytixarTM (LTX-109). Presented as four posters and one oral presentation at ICAAC (The Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy) in San Francisco, the studies showed that the novel drug has an ultra-rapid bactericidal effect towards such difficult pathogens as multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis. Furthermore, these pathogens are not able to develop resistance to the drug. According to Director of Drug Development at Lytix Biopharma, Dr. Wenche Marie Olsen, “In an animal model of MRSA infection, LytixarTM (LTX-109) is effective as early as after a single day of dosing, proving superior to marketed gold standard drugs such as Altabax® and Fucidin®. We believe this drug will provide a unique new tool in the fight against drug resistance.”

Lytix Biopharma-founding scientist Prof. John Sigurd Svendsen presented data on LytixarTM recently obtained in collaboration with the Danish Technical Institute in Copenhagen. According to Prof. Svendsen, “We have shown that LytixarTM is very effective at eliminating bacterial biofilms formed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in this case killing it at only four times the concentration needed to kill planktonic, non-biofilm bacteria. This level of efficacy is quite unheard of with most other antibiotics. It is thought that many chronic wounds and other difficult to treat infections are due to biofilms, and we are therefore very encouraged by the data we have generated.”

According to Lytix Biopharma spokesperson Anders Fugelli, these are important studies: “LytixarTM (LTX-109) is effective against a broad range of pathogens, highlighting its potential utility as a truly novel broad spectrum antimicrobial drug. Indeed it is so effective, that although the initial formulation is for the treatment of skin infections, we consider it for other indications such as nail fungal infections, bladder infections after catheterisation (biofilm) and oropharyngeal candidaisis. The drug is currently undergoing Phase I testing.”

LTX-109 is a novel synthetic antimicrobial drug with a rapid bactericidal mode of action. The drug can effectively be synthesized in scalable, low-cost chemical reactor systems.

For further information, contact:
Anders Fugelli – Head of Business Development
+47 924 81 432