Contrafect Corp (CFRX)

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ContraFect Announces Award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to Evaluate Exebacase as a Potential Treatment for Serious MRSA Lung Infections Associated with Cystic Fibrosis

Source: GlobeNewswire Inc.?

ContraFect Corporation (Nasdaq: CFRX), a late clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of direct lytic agents (DLAs), including lysins and amurin peptides, as new medical modalities for the treatment of life-threatening, antibiotic-resistant infections, today announces that it has received an additional award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF). This contract award will support investigation of the potential utility of exebacase for treating serious lung infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in people with cystic fibrosis (CF). The program, titled Nonclinical Assessment of Lysin Exebacase for Treating MRSA Infections in CF will, over the course of 12 months, evaluate the in vitro activity of exebacase against bacterial specimens obtained from CF patients.
“MRSA lung infections lead to potential acceleration in the decline in lung function and are an independent predictor of mortality in the CF population. Eradication of persistent MRSA in the lungs of CF patients remains a major challenge despite current antibiotic therapy. Thus, there is a pressing unmet need for new medical modalities and novel therapeutic approaches to address the serious health threat to CF patients,” said Cara Cassino, M.D., Executive Vice President of Research & Development and Chief Medical Officer of ContraFect. “We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with the CF Foundation again in order to evaluate the potential utility of exebacase as such a treatment for MRSA lung infections in this vulnerable population,” continued Dr. Cassino.
Pathogenic bacteria are known to be a major contributor to CF disease. The lungs of CF patients are typically colonized with pathogenic bacteria, that damage the epithelial surfaces. The growth of highly resistant Staph aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa, two of the most common causes of lung infections in CF patients, is associated with further epithelial surface damage, and potentially an overall decline in pulmonary function. MRSA has become more prevalent in the CF population in recent years, increasing from 9.2 percent in 2002 to 25.9 percent in 2017. MRSA plays a role in pulmonary exacerbations of CF that may require hospitalization and treatment with systemic antibiotics. Chronic lung infections are known to be the main cause of lung function deterioration, and ultimately mortality, in CF patients.
The award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will provide ContraFect with financial support for research activities. Further financial details were not disclosed. ContraFect retains global rights for exebacase and its entire DLA therapeutic pipeline.