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CFRX- ContraFect to Present New Data on CF-301 (exebacase) and Lysins Targeting Gram-Negative Pathogens at ASM Microbe 2018


YONKERS, N.Y., May 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ContraFect Corporation (Nasdaq:CFRX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of protein and antibody therapeutics for life-threatening, drug-resistant infectious diseases, today announced the presentation of new data on its lead drug candidate, CF-301 (exebacase), and its Gram-negative lysin discovery program at American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Microbe 2018, to be held from June 7-11, 2018, in Atlanta.

The presentations include results from new in vivo, in vitro, ­and surveillance studies of ContraFect’s lead lysin CF-301 (exebacase), which is currently being studied in a Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus (Staph aureus) bacteremia, including endocarditis. Data will be presented which demonstrates CF-301’s activity against a broad range of Staphylococcus and Streptococcus bacteria known to cause bacteremia and endocarditis, activity against contemporary clinical isolates of Staph aureus from U.S. hospitals, and ability to suppress emergence of vancomycin resistance. For the first time, data on CF-301’s novel ability to synergize with and activate host factors in human serum will be presented. ContraFect will also present initial in vitro proof of principle data from the Gram-negative lysin discovery program demonstrating the bactericidal effect of its newly discovered lysins against multi-drug resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

“We are pleased to return to ASM this year and present important new data which expands our understanding of CF-301’s spectrum of action of against a broad range of Staph and Strep species and provides new insight into the compound’s novel ability to activate latent host factors in human blood which enhance bactericidal activity,” said Cara Cassino, M.D., Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President of Research and Development at ContraFect. “We are also excited to unveil the first data on the bactericidal and anti-biofilm activity of Gram-negative lysins discovered in our laboratory against MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We look forward to continuing to present new data from our active lysin research programs as we await top-line results from the ongoing Phase 2 trial of CF-301 later this year,” continued Dr. Cassino.

Presentation Details:

Presentation Title: Bacteriophage Lysins Can Be Engineered to Exert a Rapid and Potent Bactericidal Effect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Serum
Session Day & Time: Sunday, June 10, 2018, 12:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. ET
Poster Board Number: SUNDAY - HMB LB14
Session Title: Session 384 - SUNDAY - HMB Late-breakers

Presentation Title: Lysin CF-301 Demonstrates Potent in Vitro Activity against a Range of Staphylococcus and Streptococcus Species Associated with Complicated Bacteremia and Infective Endocarditis in Humans
Session Day & Time: Sunday, June 10, 2018, 12:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. ET
Poster Board Number: SUNDAY - AAR LB5
Session Title: Session 403 - SUNDAY - AAR Late-breakers

Presentation Title: CF-301 Activity versus Contemporary Staphylococcus aureus Clinical Isolates from US Hospitals
Session Day & Time: Sunday, June 10, 2018, 12:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. ET
Poster Board Number: SUNDAY - 530
Session Title: Session 410 - AAR08 - New Antimicrobial Agents and New Research Technologies: Bacteriophage-Related Tools and Therapy

Presentation Title: Lysin CF-301 Administered in Addition to Vancomycin (VAN) Suppresses the Emergence of Reduced Susceptibilities to VAN Within Cardiac Vegetations in A Rabbit Model of MRSA Infective Endocarditis (IE)
Session Day & Time: Sunday, June 10, 2018, 12:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. ET
Poster Board Number: SUNDAY - 535
Session Title: Session 410 - AAR08 - New Antimicrobial Agents and New Research Technologies: Bacteriophage-Related Tools and Therapy

Presentation Title: Lysin CF-301 Activates Latent Host Factors in Human Blood to Potentiate Bacteriolysis
Session Day & Time: Sunday, June 10, 2018, 12:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. ET
Poster Board Number: SUNDAY - 536
Session Title: Session 410 - AAR08 - New Antimicrobial Agents and New Research Technologies: Bacteriophage-Related Tools and Therapy

The abstracts can be accessed through the ASM Microbe website. Following the meeting, the presentation posters will be available on the ContraFect website.

About ContraFect:

ContraFect is a biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing therapeutic protein and antibody products for life-threatening, drug-resistant infectious diseases, particularly those treated in hospital settings. An estimated 700,000 deaths worldwide each year are attributed to antimicrobial-resistant infections. We intend to address life threatening infections using our therapeutic product candidates from our lysin and monoclonal antibody platforms to target conserved regions of either bacteria or viruses (regions that are not prone to mutation). ContraFect's initial product candidates include new agents to treat antibiotic-resistant infections such as MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staph aureus) and influenza. ContraFect’s lead product candidate, CF-301, is currently in a Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of Staph aureus bacteremia, including endocarditis and is the first lysin to enter clinical studies in the U.S. ContraFect is also conducting research focused on the discovery of lysins to target Gram-negative bacteria.

About CF-301 (exebacase):

CF-301 (exebacase) is a recombinant bacteriophage-derived lysin with potent bactericidal activity against Staph aureus, a major cause of blood stream infections, or bacteremia. CF-301 has the potential to be a first-in-class treatment for Staph aureus bacteremia. It has a novel, rapid, and specific mechanism of bactericidal action against Staph aureus and does not impact the body's natural bacterial flora. By targeting a conserved region of the cell wall that is vital to bacteria, resistance is less likely to develop to CF-301. Combinations of CF-301 with standard of care antibiotics significantly increased bacterial killing and survival in animal models of disease when compared to treatment with antibiotics or CF-301 alone. In addition, in vitro and in vivo experiments have shown that CF-301 is highly active against biofilm infections. CF-301 was licensed from The Rockefeller University and is being developed at ContraFect. It is the first lysin to enter clinical studies in the U.S.