Recce Pharmaceuticals Announces Positive Preclinical Efficacy Data Against WHO Priority Pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii

In This Article:

Recce Pharmaceuticals
Recce Pharmaceuticals
  • RECCE® 327 (R327) demonstrated significant bactericidal activity against ‘superbug’ Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) demonstrating 99.99999% log reduction (>7.5 log reduction) in adult human epidermal ‘skin’ cells

  • A. baumannii is most commonly responsible for urinary tract infections, ventilator-associated pneumonia, central line-associated bloodstream infections, persistent wound infections and meningitis

  • The data supports upcoming Phase II Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infection (ABSSSI) trials as A. baumannii infections are notoriously difficult to treat, especially in their drug resistant ‘superbug’ form

SYDNEY, July 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recce Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX:RCE, FSE:R9Q), (the Company), the Company developing a new class of synthetic anti-infectives, is pleased to report promising results from its latest study on the efficacy of RECCE® 327 (R327) against multidrug- resistant (MDR) World Health Organization (WHO) priority pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii). The study was conducted at Recce’s Anti-Infective Research (AIR) unit within Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

“These outstanding results highlight the potent efficacy of R327 in combating MDR bacteria, a significant global health challenge,” commented James Graham, CEO of Recce Pharmaceuticals. “The ability of R327 to achieve such substantial reductions in bacterial load and maintain its effectiveness over 24 hours is a testament to its potential as a leading anti-infective treatment. We are excited about these findings and their implications for the future of infection management.”

Dr. Sohinee Sarkar, a leading researcher at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, added, “The significant bactericidal activity observed with R327, particularly its ability to reduce bacterial presence to below the limit of detection, marks a major advancement in our fight against resistant pathogens. The sustained efficacy of R327 compared to ciprofloxacin underscores its potential as a superior treatment option. These results are promising and pave the way for further development and application of R327 in clinical settings.”

The study demonstrated R327’s bactericidal activity when compared to placebo and ciprofloxacin in 1-hour post treatment and at 24-hours post treatment in primary human epidermal keratinocytes (skin cells) infected with A. baumannii.

Figure 1 -- BLOQ
Figure 1 -- BLOQ

Key Findings from the study include:

  • 1-hour Post-treatment Efficacy: Within the first hour post-treatment of invasive (intracellular) multidrug-resistant A. baumannii in primary human epidermal keratinocytes, R327 achieved a >6.5 log reduction, rendering the bacteria below the limit of quantification (BLOQ). This demonstrates the rapid and effective bactericidal action of R327. In contrast, ciprofloxacin did not show any reduction in intracellular bacterial burden at this early timepoint.

  • 24-hour Sustained Efficacy: R327 maintained its efficacy at >6.5 log or >99.9999% reduction in intracellular bacteria even after 24 hours, a critical factor in infection management. In comparison, ciprofloxacin treatment only resulted in ~1 log reduction in bacterial numbers over the same period.