October 23, 2020
Synspira Therapeutics Presents Data at 34rd Annual North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference on Effect of SNSP113 on Recalcitrant Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
-SNSP113 Effective Against Antibiotic Resistant MRSA Pulmonary Infections-
FRAMINGHAM, Mass., October 22, 2020— Synspira Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the lives of people with cystic fibrosis (CF) and other rare diseases, today announced that data from the company’s CF clinical development program for SNSP113, a novel positively charged inhaled glycopolymer, was presented at the 34th annual North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference (NACFC), being held October 20 to October 23, 2020.
The company’s poster presentation by lead author Allister Loughran PhD, SNSP113 Eradicates MRSA, Potentiates Effect of Antibiotics, and Treats Recalcitrant Bacteria (poster number 316), demonstrates that SNSP113, provides a novel mechanism to eradicate methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) by rapidly disrupting the structural integrity of MRSA cell membranes, synergizing with conventional antibiotics and eliminating tolerant persister cells. SNSP113 is a proprietary inhaled non-absorbable polycationic polymer that has been previously demonstrated to permeabilize bacterial cell membranes and cells walls for numerous pathogens, prevent bacterial adhesion to epithelia, disrupt cohesion of negatively charged bacterial biofilms, interact with anions on mucins to normalize mucus structure while modulating proinflammatory mediators to reduce the inflammatory cascade and neutrophil infiltration.
“There is a need for a product with a novel mechanism of action like SNSP113, which is less susceptible to developing resistance or tolerance and can target bacterial infections like MRSA, as well as the underlying factors such as biofilms, inflammation and mucus accumulation, that result in the recalcitrant nature of the disease,” said Robert Gallotto, chief executive officer of Synspira, “With these challenges in mind, SNSP113 addresses the complex factors that lead to difficult to treat pulmonary infections.”
Antibiotic resistance and the role of biofilms and tolerant pathogen communities such as MRSA persister cells is an important unmet challenge that leads to increased toxicity, frequent relapse and poor clinical management. Recalcitrant pulmonary infections are common in CF and bronchiectasis with many patients having multiple pathogens at once such as MRSA, Mycobacteria (NTM), Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepaciacomplex strains. These recalcitrant pulmonary infections can be debilitating leading to rapid deterioration and decline in pulmonary function and have a significant impact on quality of life with severe cough, extreme fatigue and shortness of breath. The chronic nature of pulmonary infections is complicated by antibiotic resistance, biofilm barriers, tolerance as well as poor penetration of antibiotics into airway secretions.
About Staphylococcus aureus and Antibiotic Resistance
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most commonly isolated organisms impacting cystic fibrosis patients. In children with CF, 2018 reports showed that S. aureus infections occurred in 70% of patients. Treatment of S. aureus infections is confounded by antibiotic resistance in particular, methicillin resistance as well as the ability of S. aureus to form a biofilm making it an extremely challenging pathogen to eradicate. Additionally, the formation of biofilms further decreases antibiotic efficacy and can contain bacteria that are dormant or tolerant to antibiotics further leading to recalcitrant infections and chronic use of antibiotics. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is estimated to infect 25% of CF patients with limited treatment options. Recalcitrant pulmonary infections with persistent MRSA has been associated with poor clinical outcomes, increase frequency of pulmonary exacerbations and reduced survival.
About Synspira Therapeutics
Synspira Therapeutics Inc., is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to significantly improving the lives of people with cystic fibrosis (CF) and other rare diseases. Inspired by patients, Synspira is focused on developing a rationally designed portfolio of products that can make a life-changing impact and improve the quality of life of our patients. Synspira is working to advance two novel products (SNSP113 and SNSP003) intended to provide better clinical outcomes and reduce treatment burden in pulmonary disease as well as malabsorption syndromes and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. SNSP113, Synspira’s lead product is in a Phase 2 clinical study in people with cystic fibrosis. Synspira is a privately held company headquartered in Framingham, MA.
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Company Contact:
Kathryn Kilroy
Synspira Therapeutics
kkilroy@synspira.com
(617) 466-3823