The Scandinavian-based drug development company Lytix Biopharma has announced results of studies on its lead antimicrobial candidate LTX-109. Presented at ICAAC in Washington, DC, the studies showed that the novel lytic peptidomimetic has an ultra-rapid bacteriocidal effect, significantly better towards killing Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes than marketed gold standard drugs. In addition to this it has proven effective against a wide range of 110 European Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates, a problrmatic Gram (-) bacterium.

According to Lytix Biopharma spokesperson Anders Fugelli, these are important studies: “The fact that LTX-109 is effective against a broad range of pathogens highlights its potential utility as a truly novel broad spectrum antimicrobial drug. Indeed it is so effective, that although the initial formulation is for the treatment of skin infections, we could now consider it for other indications such as skin and nail fungal infections, acne and oropharyngeal candidaisis. We are now in the final stages of preclinical development and look forward to taking LtX-109 into the clinic in during the second half of 2009.”

LTX-109 is a novel synthetic antimicrobial pepitidomimetic (SAMP) drug with a rapid bactericidal mode of action that can effectively synthesized in scalable, low-cost chemical reactor systems.