A pilot study testing the effectiveness of a synthetic drug to treat lung infections has yielded positive data for Australian-based Recce Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:RCE).
The efficacy of nebulised RECCE® 327 – also known as R327 – was tested through a pilot study using a mouse model at Recce’s Anti-Infective Research (AIR) unit, which is part of the Murdoch Children Research Institute in Perth.
Results showed that both mice treated with the drug had a significant reduction in colonisation by Mycobacterium abscessus in both lungs, and also maintained a stable body weight throughout the study, suggesting the treatment is both safe and tolerable.
Lead researcher at Recce’s AIR unit, Dr. Sohinee Sarkar, lead researcher at Recce’s AIR unit said the study’s results provided pleasing indicators of how R327 could be used in the future.
“The results are very promising and pave the way for future clinical applications,” she said.
“This could be particularly transformative for patients suffering from VAP (ventilator-associated pneumonia) and HAP (hospital-acquired pneumonia), conditions that significantly increase morbidity and mortality rates in intensive care units.”
Recce has focused its business around development of a new class of synthetic anti-infectives in order to address the problem of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.
The company has been trading at 66.5c.