DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mycovia Pharmaceuticals, a developer of breakthrough drugs in women’s health, today announced that oral drug candidate VT-1598 has shown in vitro and in vivo activity against Candida auris, an emerging multi-drug resistant fungal pathogen that presents a serious global health threat. NovaQuest Capital Management formed Mycovia in 2018 and recently acquired VT-1598, which Mycovia is developing to combat serious fungal pathogens. The results of the study on Candida auris were published in the March issue of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
Susceptibility testing was conducted by the Fungal Reference Laboratory at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) where VT-1598 demonstrated in vitro activity against 100 clinical isolates of Candida auris. In addition, treatment with VT-1598 resulted in significant and dose-dependent improvements in survival and reduction in kidney and brain fungal burden compared to control in mice infected with Candida auris. These results suggest that VT-1598 may be a future option for the treatment of invasive infections caused by Candida auris.
“As a women’s health organization, Mycovia is passionate about developing breakthrough drugs in areas of significant unmet medical needs. Concurrently, we realize that there is tremendous potential for oral fungal inhibitors to treat multi-drug resistant fungal pathogens such as Candida auris which is virulently spreading across the globe,” said Patrick Jordan, Chief Executive Officer of Mycovia and Partner at NovaQuest Capital Management. “While women’s health remains our number one priority as we move through Phase 3 clinical trials with the goal to be the first FDA-approved treatment for recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis, we continue to assess and commence new opportunities where Mycovia can address tremendous unmet medical needs.”
The CDC recently deemed Candida auris a global emerging threat. This pathogen typically strikes people in hospitals with compromised immune systems and contributes to the growing health threat associated with drug-resistant infections.
About Mycovia Pharmaceuticals
Mycovia Pharmaceuticals has a
passion for developing breakthrough drugs in women’s health. Our lead
product candidate, oteseconazole, is a novel, oral therapy for recurrent
vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC). RVVC is commonly known as a chronic
yeast infection and is often accompanied by severe physical discomfort
and emotional burden. Our goal is to restore quality of life while
empowering millions of women worldwide. For more information, please
visit www.mycovia.com
About NovaQuest
NovaQuest Capital Management is a leading
investor in life sciences and healthcare through its Product Finance and
Private Equity strategies. NovaQuest was formed in 2000 with the vision
of building an investment platform to provide strategic capital to life
sciences and healthcare companies. Today, NovaQuest Capital Management
manages over $2 billion through its Product Finance and Private Equity
strategies. The investment team consists of highly seasoned operational
and investment professionals with significant investment experience and
deep life science and healthcare expertise. Furthermore, NovaQuest
benefits from an extensive network of industry experts and relationships
that assist in identifying, analyzing and growing NovaQuest portfolio
companies and investments. For more information, please visit www.novaquest.com.