Helix BioMedix announces anti-infective collaboration
with Smith & Nephew, which aims to focus on the development of
HB50, the company's lead topical anti-infective peptide.
HB50 attributes include broad-spectrum activity, lack of resistance induction, cost effective synthesis, stability and activity against multiply antibiotic resistant pathogens. In pre-clinical testing, HB50, in a gel formulation, has shown to significantly reduce the numbers of Staphylococcus aureus in an abraded skin infection model and in the majority of cases eradicate the organism.
Its potent activity against multiply resistant S. aureus, HB50 holds great potential for the prevention of wound infections. In addition, with activity against other gram-positive bacteria and gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the peptide also has application in the areas of burn wounds and dermatology.
In preclinical testing HB50, in a gel formulation, demonstrated effectiveness against methicillin and mupirocin (Bactroban) resistant isolates in situations where the antibiotic mupirocin is ineffective. In addition, with activity against other gram-positive bacteria and gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa the peptide also has application in the areas of burn wounds and dermatology.
Under the terms of the agreement Smith and Nephew will have first refusal to license certain rights to a number of wound related indications for HB50. In return, Smith & Nephew agree to provide input on the pre-clinical and clinical development of HB50. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
"The anti-infective market today is in need of new products to replace existing products that have become ineffective against certain antibiotic-resistant pathogens," said Stephen Beatty, president and CEO of Helix BioMedix.
The move by Helix-Biomedex sees them enter a market, worth approximately $25 billion and is expected to grow to $32 billion worldwide by 2010. Of this, drugs such as Vancomycin, Linezolid and other such anti-infectives used in treating resistant strains of bacteria constitute nearly $1 billion.
The unmet need for effective anti-infectives has arisen from the rapid proliferation of bacterial pathogens resistant to the current repertoire of antibiotics, most of which are directed against a limited set of targets.
The hope is that HB50 can add to the limited choice of therapy, which currently includes Beta lactam antibiotics, penicillins, cephalasporins and carbapenems.
