Arpida Presents Preclinical Data On AR-2474 At ICAAC

Main Category: MRSA / Drug Resistance
Also Included In: Clinical Trials / Drug Trials;  Conferences
Article Date: 22 Sep 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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Arpida Ltd (SWX: ARPN) presented several preclinical studies on its novel topical antibiotic AR-2474 at the 47th annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) in Chicago. ICAAC is a major scientific conference where thousands of scientists and clinicians from all over the world gather to discuss the latest developments in the field of infectious diseases.

AR-2474 is a novel synthetic antibacterial currently under development for topical indications including treatment of infections and prevention of transmission of the "superbug" MRSA. AR-2474 is a diphenyl urea with unique properties.

F1-2100: The topical activity and potency of AR-2474 was compared with the gold standard mupirocin (Bactroban(R)) in two preclinical models of MRSA infection of the skin and of nasal decolonisation. In both models, a preliminary topical formulation of AR-2474 was demonstrated to be as efficacious as mupirocin.

F1-2094, F1-2095, F1-2096, F1-2097, F1-2100A: The in vitro microbiological activity of AR-2474 and of other compounds of the class was assessed in-house and by leading laboratories against large panels of clinical isolates. AR-2474 showed potent activity against methicillin susceptible and resistant staphylococci including nosocomial and community S. aureus isolates. Importantly, AR-2474 exhibits no cross-resistance with other classes of currently used topical treatments. The compound also exhibited potent activity against Group A and B streptococci, enterococci, pneumococci and other important pathogens responsible for causing infections of the skin, eye and mouth.

F1-2099: AR-2474 demonstrated little or no propensity for resistance development. No resistant mutants to AR-2474 could be selected using different methodologies.

F1-2098: The data showed that AR-2474 is bactericidal, exhibits a post antibiotic effect and shows no antagonism with other antibiotics tested.

About Arpida Ltd.

Arpida (SWX: ARPN) is a biopharmaceutical company with research facilities near Basel, Switzerland and in the USA. It focuses on the discovery and development of novel drugs that seek to overcome the growing problem of microbial resistance.

Arpida's leading product candidate is intravenous iclaprim, a broad-spectrum antibiotic that targets severe infections requiring hospital treatment, including those caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The US Food and Drug Administration has granted fast track status to intravenous iclaprim. In July 2007, Arpida reported the completion of the Phase III programme in complicated skin and skin structure infections. An NDA filing is expected to take place in the second half of 2007.

In June 2007, Arpida announced that it has received approval from the US FDA to initiate Phase II trials with intravenous iclaprim in the treatment of patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) or healthcare associated pneumonia (HCAP).

An oral formulation of iclaprim has successfully completed three Phase I trials: an ADME study (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion) with radiolabelled compound, a Phase I bioavailability trial with a solution and one with a capsule formulation. Iclaprim could be offered not only as an intravenous therapy for hospital use in acute situations, but also as an oral formulation, allowing early patient discharge followed by outpatient treatment. This switch should be a valuable instrument in reducing healthcare costs and enhancing patient comfort.

Arpida's fourth most advanced programme, AR-709, targets upper and lower respiratory tract infections acquired in the community setting. AR-709 exhibited potent activity against a large panel of pneumococcal clinical isolates including those resistant to currently used drugs. Promising results of "first-in-man" studies with AR-709 were published in March 2007.

An additional compound, AR-2474, has achieved in vivo proof of concept. AR-2474 has been shown to be highly effective in eradicating pathogens in preclinical models of skin infection and nasal carriage.

Apart from the antibiotic programmes, Arpida has an innovative antifungal therapy (TLT) which is about to enter Phase III clinical trials in Europe, targeting onychomycosis.

Moreover, the company has several other leads in optimisation and additional discovery programmes derived from its own discovery platform at various research stages.

This press release contains specific forward-looking statements, e.g. statements including terms like believe, assume, expect or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may result in a substantial divergence between the actual results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and those explicitly or implicitly presumed in these statements. Against the background of these uncertainties readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The company assumes no responsibility to update forward-looking statements or to adapt them to future events or developments.

Arpida Ltd.
http://www.arpida.ch