Massachusetts biotech company Pulmatrix presented data from two studies of its Pulmatrix presents data from preclinical studies of its lead product, PUR118, an inhaled cationic airway lining modulator (iCALM) for the treatment of respiratory diseases in oral and poster sessions at the 2011 European Respiratory Society (ERS) conference. The data show that PUR118 effectively reduced exacerbations and airway inflammation in animal models, the company announced.
Robert Clarke, Pulmatrix’s Chief Scientific Officer and VP of Research and Development explained: “While treating acute exacerbations is vital for patients with progressive respiratory diseases, there are no available therapies that target the underlying root causes of acute exacerbations of the lung. The data from these two respiratory disease studies support our novel approach of targeting the cause of acute exacerbations and clearly demonstrate PUR118’s ability to reduce airway inflammation and significant potential for decreasing acute exacerbations of the lung. These results support the growing body of evidence we have that shows that PUR118 represents a fundamentally unique new way to treat and manage COPD, asthma, cystic fibrosis, and other progressive respiratory diseases.”
The oral presentation is titled “Inhaled Calcium Salts Reduce Tobacco Smoke-Induced Airway Inflammation and Improve Lung Pathology,” and the poster is titled “Inhaled Calcium-Based Dry Powder Inhibits Rhinovirus-Induced Inflammation and Exacerbation in a Mouse Model of Allergic Airway Inflammation.”
Pulmatrix is developing PUR118 as a treatment for a wide range of chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma, COPD, RSV, cystic fibrosis, and influenza. According to the company, “iCALM therapy stimulates host defense mechanisms in the lung that prevent infection, enhance the clearance of pathogens, and reduce airway inflammation” and that it brings about ” the assembly of endogenous proteins into three dimensional matrices, resulting in enhanced barrier function in the lung and reducing the penetration of pathogens into the lung tissue.”
Read the Pulmatrix press release.
