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Business Wire - December 9, 2008
-- December 10, 2008, Wyndham Grand Hotel, Puerto Rico
RADNOR, Pa.--PolyMedix, Inc. (OTC BB: PYMX, www.polymedix.com), an emerging biotechnology company developing acute care products for infectious diseases and acute cardiovascular disorders based on biomimetics, will make a poster presentation at this year's HIV DART 2008. The presentation will be given by PolyMedix Vice President of Research, Dr. Richard Scott, on Wednesday, December 10, 2008, at the Wyndham Grand Hotel in Puerto Rico.
Titled "Antimicrobial Molecules for Treatment of Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) and Extensively Drug Resistant (XDR) Strains of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis," the presentation focuses on the mechanism of action of PolyMedix compounds and why the Company believes drug resistance is unlikely to develop to the use of these compounds for the treatment of tuberculosis. Record levels of MDR-/ XDR-TB were reported in 2007, with a 90% mortality rate among patients co-infected with HIV/MDR-/XDR-TB.
Completely different from other antibiotic compounds currently on the market, PolyMedix's compounds are synthetic chemical mimics of host defense proteins, one of the oldest and most effective antimicrobial defense systems found in virtually all living creatures. These compounds are the first and only small molecule mimetics of host defense proteins intended to treat systemic infections. They have a novel mechanism of action, the direct biophysical disruption of bacterial cell membranes, which the Company believes makes development of bacterial resistance unlikely.
PolyMedix's lead defensin-mimetic antibiotic compound, PMX-30063, is currently in Phase I human clinical testing. PolyMedix plans to develop PMX-30063 as a pan-Staph agent, for the broad treatment of many forms of Staphylococcus infections. The compounds described in the DART poster represent new molecules for possible development as potential treatments for tuberculosis, which share the same mechanism of action as PMX-30063.
The poster describes studies with six molecules spanning several chemical structural series and screening by the Tuberculosis Antimicrobial Acquisition and Coordinating Facility (TAACF). The studies used in vitro assays to measure susceptibility against H37Rv strain of M. tuberculosis and cytotoxicity to monkey VERO cells. Three of the tested antimicrobial compounds exhibited high antimicrobial activity (IC90 < 5 ug/ml) against the H37Rv strain of M. tuberculosis, with selectivity greater than 30-120 fold for TB versus mammalian cells. The synthetic small molecules rapidly killed the M tuberculosis cells in vitro. These compounds are stable and not immunogenic, and the results indicate they may be successful treatment for MDR and XDR strains of M. tuberculosis.
"We are honored and delighted to present these findings at HIV DART," said Nicholas Landekic, President & C.E.O. of PolyMedix. "Drug resistant tuberculosis, particularly complicated by HIV infection, is a major and spreading problem. There is a desperate need for new treatments, and for resources to be committed to their development. These results indicate that our small-molecule defensin mimetics may be effective treatments for drug resistant tuberculosis, with a lower risk of bacterial resistance developing to them. We look forward to helping to address one of the greatest healthcare scourges facing the world today."
About HIV DART 2008
The focus of HIV DART 2008 is to assemble clinicians, researchers and basic scientists together to advance our knowledge of the ongoing drug development processes in antiretroviral research. HIV DART 2008 will uniquely blend the areas of biology, chemistry, pharmacology and clinical research to provide the scientific community an increased understanding of the current and future challenges in therapeutics for HIV infection. For more information please visit http://www.informedhorizons.com/hivdart2008/.
About PolyMedix, Inc.
PolyMedix is a publicly traded biotechnology company focused on the development of novel drugs and biomaterials for the treatment of infectious diseases and acute cardiovascular disorders. PolyMedix's compounds are based on biomimetics: non-peptide small molecule drug candidates that mimic the activity of proteins. The Company's antibiotic compounds, including PMX-30063 - small molecule mimetics of human host-defense proteins - have a completely different mechanism of action from current antibiotic drugs, a mechanism which is intended to make bacterial resistance unlikely to develop. The Company's goal is to develop these as rapidly acting antibiotics for serious systemic and local infections. The Company plans to continue the development of polymeric formulations as antimicrobial biomaterials, which can be used as additives to paints, plastics, and textiles to create self-sterilizing products and surfaces. The Company's heptagonist compounds, including PMX-60056, reverse the activity of both heparin and Low Molecular Weight Heparins, with the goal of developing an antagonist drug that is safer and easier to use than currently approved therapy. For more information, please visit PolyMedix on its website at www.polymedix.com
This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and that could cause PolyMedix's actual results and experience to differ materially from anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward looking statements. PolyMedix has in some cases identified forward-looking statements by using words such as "anticipates," "believes," "hopes," "estimates," "looks," "expects," "plans," "intends", "goal", "potential," and similar expressions. Among other things, there can be no assurance that PolyMedix's compounds will enter or successfully complete clinical testing or be granted regulatory approval to be sold and marketed in the Unites States or elsewhere. A more complete description of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions is included in PolyMedix's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. PolyMedix undertakes no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to any such forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by applicable law or regulation.
Contacts
For further information: PolyMedix, Inc.
Lona Cornish, 484-598-2340
lcornish@polymedix.com
or
The Investor Relations Group 212-825-3210
Investors: Erika Moran
emoran@investorrelationsgroup.com
or
Media: Janet Vasquez
jvasquez@investorrelationsgroup.com
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