CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Synspira, a privately held company developing a new class of inhaled glycopolymer-based therapeutics for the treatment of pulmonary disease, today announced the presentation of the results of two studies of SNSP113, its lead drug candidate for use in pulmonary complications of cystic fibrosis (CF). The studies were led by the laboratory of Steven M. Rowe M.D. at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and will be presented at the 31st Annual North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference (NACFC), being held from November 2-4, 2017 in Indianapolis, IN.
In CF patients, mucus is overproduced, improperly formed and highly viscous, causing thickened airways and compromising pulmonary clearance. Results from one study presented today suggest that SNSP113 has the potential to enhance pulmonary clearance by improving the viscosity and transport of mucins through structure alteration.
Studies showed that SNSP113 (active pharmaceutical ingredient is PAAG) improved viscosity and transport of CF sputum on excised rat trachea and altered mucin conformation to resemble a more normal, linear form. In addition, pretreatments of SNSP113 prevented Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in 70% of wild type rats, whereas all animals treated with control were infected. Enhanced pulmonary clearance is an important aspect of removing bacteria to prevent colonization and infection in the lung.
“People living with cystic fibrosis are challenged by abnormal mucus that precipitates chronic infection and dysregulated inflammation,” said Dr. Steven M. Rowe, Director of the Gregory Fleming James Cystic Fibrosis Research Center at the University of Alabama, Birmingham. “The effects on both mucus and Pseudomonas bacterial infection demonstrated by SNSP113 are very promising for cystic fibrosis patients, no matter their underlying CFTR mutation.”
According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (www.CFF.org), there are more than 1,700 mutations of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene; some are common and others are rare and found only in a few people. Certain types of CF mutations are associated with less severe symptoms of the disease, but remain chronic and progressive.
The first study results will be presented at Workshop #8 and Formal
Poster Session I: New Therapies Poster Discussion Session/Workshop.
Presenter:
Courtney M. Fernandez
Title: PAAG Alters the Viscoelasticity and
Transport of CF Mucus
Date: Thursday, November 2, 2017
Time:
9:45 – 11:05 AM EST and 11:15-1:45 PM EST
Location: Room 143,
Indiana Convention Center and The Exchange – Hall I, Indiana Convention
Center
A second study demonstrates that SNSP113 could potentially reduce established Pseudomonas infections in CF patients. In studies both as a single agent and in combination with tobramycin, an inhaled antibiotic commonly used in the treatment of lung infections, SNSP113 is shown to reduce the thickness of biofilms and prevent biofilm persistence when grown on CF epithelial cells. These studies demonstrated that PAAG disrupted Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms grown in co-culture on CF and wild type respiratory epithelium. Co-treatment with PAAG and tobramycin at the time of inoculation on CF respiratory epithelium augmented tobramycin efficacy against both a laboratory strain, PAO1, and a highly mucoid clinical strain, Pa529.
“The results presented today further elucidate how SNSP113 can improve the treatment of cystic fibrosis by potentially reducing chronic infections that impair lung function while also improving the clearance of mucus and bacteria,” said Shenda Baker, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Synspira. “We are continuing to evaluate in vivo capabilities of SNSP113 and its safety in a Phase 1a clinical trial as part of our clinical program to advance the treatment of cystic fibrosis patients, regardless of genetic mutation.”
The second study results will be presented at a Formal Poster Session.
Lead
author: Bryan Garcia, M.D.
Title: Anti- Pseudomonas Aeruginosa
Biofilm Activity of the Novel Glycopolymer PAAG on Infected Cystic
Fibrosis Respiratory Epithelium
Date: Thursday, November 2, 2017
Time:
11:15-1:45 PM EST
Location: The Exchange – Hall I, Indiana
Convention Center
About SNSP113
SNSP113 is a glycopolymer-based therapeutic
being developed as an inhaled treatment to improve lung function in
patients with cystic fibrosis. As a modified polysaccharide molecule,
SNSP113 interacts with structural polymers in protective bacterial
biofilms, breaking them apart, and with native glycoproteins in mucus,
reducing mucus viscosity and adhesion. SNSP113 also interacts with the
cell walls of invading bacteria increasing their permeability, thereby
reducing their inherent viability and potentiating the efficacy of
antibiotics. SNSP113 is designed to reduce infection and inflammation,
the key drivers of pulmonary exacerbations and pulmonary decline in
cystic fibrosis patients.
About Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a progressive
genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and chronic
inflammation of pulmonary tissue leading to permanent lung damage and
ultimately resulting in respiratory failure. CF is characterized by the
accumulation of thick, sticky mucus in the lungs and clogged airways
which impede breathing. Bacteria are not easily cleared and create
protective biofilms that are difficult for antibiotics to penetrate and
often lead to the emergence of multi-drug resistant bacteria. More than
30,000 people in the United States, and a similar number in Europe, live
with cystic fibrosis1.
About Synspira
Synspira is developing a new class of inhaled
glycopolymer-based therapeutics to reduce pulmonary inflammation and
infection, key drivers of pulmonary diseases including cystic fibrosis
(CF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and pneumonia.
Synspira has an exclusive license from Synedgen to the Glycomics
Technology Platform for the development of inhaled therapeutics in
pulmonary indications. Synspira is dedicated to developing drugs with
new mechanisms of action to target and change the course of pulmonary
diseases. www.synspira.com
1 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. About Cystic Fibrosis. https://www.cff.org/What-is-CF/About-Cystic-Fibrosis/.
