Latest news with #P.aeruginosa
Business Wire
16-06-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
Clarametyx Biosciences Announces Positive Interim Analysis in Phase 2A Study Evaluating CMTX-101 for Infections Associated With Cystic Fibrosis
COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Clarametyx Biosciences, Inc. ('Clarametyx'), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing immune-enabling therapies and vaccines to address biofilm-driven chronic respiratory diseases, announced today that it is advancing a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial evaluating its novel immune-enabling antibody therapy CMTX-101 to treat cystic fibrosis (CF)-associated pulmonary infections, based on the DMC's approval to proceed following results of a pre-specified interim analysis. 'Interim findings from this study have identified encouraging trends that support the potential benefit of CMTX-101, with no safety issues,' said Jerry Nick, MD, Professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at National Jewish Health, and primary investigator of the study. 'The next portion of the trial will provide important insights on the potential therapeutic impact of CMTX-101 for the CF population as a novel solution to reduce the burden of chronic infections.' The ongoing randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial is assessing CMTX-101 as an adjunctive therapy to standard of care antibiotics in people with CF, evaluating safety and tolerability, pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, reduction of pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa burden, and additional exploratory endpoints. An interim analysis of data from the first 21 participants enrolled met the pre-specified criteria to continue the trial at both 5 and 30 mg/kg dose levels. Participants treated with CMTX-101 demonstrated a reduction in P. aeruginosa burden based on prespecified statistical criteria and CMTX-101 was shown to be present in the sputum of all treated participants. Importantly, CMTX-101 was generally well tolerated, consistent with the findings reported in a prior clinical study, and no antidrug antibodies were detected. The upcoming portion of the study will continue evaluating both doses of CMTX-101 versus placebo among approximately 20 additional participants from 23 study sites, including significant support from the Cystic Fibrosis Therapeutics Development Network. Study enrollment is expected to be complete by the end of 2025. More information on the study and participating sites is available at ( using the identifier NCT06159725. 'We are pleased that the findings from the first 21 participants enrolled support progressing the study without modification. The full dataset, which will include exploratory endpoints such as respiratory function, inflammatory biomarkers and quality of life assessments, will help us further understand the full potential of CMTX-101 as a novel therapeutic solution to a variety of chronic respiratory conditions,' said David V. Richards, Chief Executive Officer, Clarametyx. 'We extend our gratitude to the Cystic Fibrosis Therapeutics Development Network, clinical investigators, and the participants and families for their continued participation in this important research.' About CMTX-101 CMTX-101 is an investigational immune-enabling antibody therapy in development to treat chronic and recalcitrant respiratory infections. The therapy is designed to precisely and rapidly destroy the universal underlying structure of bacterial biofilms to undermine extracellular bacterial defenses and enable more effective antibiotic and immune intervention. Because the target is universally present across bacteria, the approach can be employed to treat a range of bacterial infections and pathogen types. The goal of treatment is to dramatically improve the effectiveness of antibiotic therapies and innate immune system effectors, improving the time to resolution of the infection and reducing the need for repeated courses of antibiotics. It is currently in development to treat cystic fibrosis-associated infections, with opportunities to expand to other chronic respiratory infections including nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease, non-CF bronchiectasis (NCFB), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). About Clarametyx Biosciences Clarametyx Biosciences is combating the formidable challenge of chronic, recalcitrant respiratory infections through an innovative technology platform targeting the biofilm—a protective layer around bacteria—to enable a more effective immune response and antibiotic intervention. The Columbus, Ohio-based company is building a pipeline of immune-enabling therapies and vaccines, including CMTX-101, which is in a Phase 2 study for infections associated with cystic fibrosis, and CMTX-301, which is in early development. For more information, visit us on the web or on LinkedIn.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Watch bacteria ‘hitchhike' and zoom around
The tiny world of microorganisms is full of microbes competing in a major life or death battle. The tiny lifeforms compete for turf, gobble up some pollutants, spew chemicals at their foes, and will exploit terrain in order to get an edge and thrive. New research into this microscopic turf war found that bacteria can speed up by using fluid pockets that are shaped by nearby yeast cells. Hitching a ride with these moisture trails allows the bacteria to spread faster and swim further. The findings are detailed in a study published June 4 in the Cell Press journal Biophysical Journal and reveal a new way that microbes travel through plants, soil, and even our own bodies. 'When studying microbial interactions, research often focuses on the chemical nature of these interactions,' study co-author and Cornell University microbiome engineer Divakar Badal said in a statement. 'But we learned that physical properties also play an important role in how microbes grow and spread.' In the study, the team focused on the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa and fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. P. aeruginosa is a rod-shaped bacteria found in soil and human airways and has tail-like propellers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it can cause infections in the blood, lungs (pneumonia), urinary tract, or other parts of the body after surgery. C. neoformans is a stationary yeast that can be deadly in those with weakened immune systems and lives throughout the world. Infections from this fungus can affect the different parts of the body, but causes lung or brain infections (cryptococcal meningitis) most often. The team watched under a microscope as the two species closed in on each other. The P. aeruginosa bacterium eventually swarmed into the puddle-like fluid surrounding the C. neoformans yeast. The bacteria cultured with yeast spread up to 14.5 times faster than when it was cultured alone. Additionally, isolated bacterial colonies quickly connected into continuous clumps. At a microscopic scale, P. aeruginosa is comparable to a grain of rice. On that same scale, the yeast is about the size of a grape. These larger yeast bodies draw in moisture from the surface, which forms a thin halo of fluid that acts as a temporary swimming lane. This lane allows the bacteria to bypass the usual physical limits of a dry surface. When the team replaced the live yeast with dead ones or glass beads, the same halo effect was produced, indicating that the puddles were driving it. 'The bigger the obstacle, yeast and glass beads alike, the more fluid you have around it, and it's better for Pseudomonas,' added Varsha Singh, a study co-author and molecular biologist at the University of Dundee in Scotland. 'So, it's leveraging what could have been an obstacle to move farther ahead.' [ Related: Bacteria wars are raging in soil, and it's keeping ecosystems healthy. ] The team also found that the spread of the bacteria ebbs and flows within the landscape that the growing yeast cells create. They built a model to simulate the interactions between both the bacterium and yeast to better understand the dynamics at play. The model indicates that faster-growing yeast species like C. albicans altered the fluid landscape more dramatically, affecting just how quickly bacteria could travel. 'I was absolutely blown away by how well our model predictions match the experimental results,' said Danny Raj M, a study co-author and engineer at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. 'In a sense, the model is a virtual lab that simulates real behaviors. By changing the parameters, from growth rates to humidity, we can answer a number of questions.' According to the team, the implications of this research go beyond the model and lab. Bacteria and yeast coexist in plants, soil, water, and the human body. The ability to ride fluid films may be one of the factors that helps bacteria colonize these environments more effectively, especially if moisture is scarce. The team plans to examine the way that both species interact in the real world to learn more. 'We tend to think of microbiology in an anthropomorphic way, focused on human lungs or the gut because we can relate to them,' said Singh. 'But much of it plays out in the soil and other environments. That gives us a wonderful opportunity to explore new questions. I think that's where the next frontier is.'
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Superbug That Can Feed on Plastic Is Spreading in Hospitals
A nasty bacterial superbug that kills hundreds of thousands of people per year is spreading through hospitals — and it feeds on something surprising, scientists have now found. Researchers from the Brunel University of London have found, per a new study in the journal Cell, that the bacterial Pseudomonas aeruginosa appears to "digest" medical plastic. Associated with more than 559,000 deaths globally per year, this drug-resistant bug is, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, believed to cause other illnesses like pneumonia or urinary tract infections. People often seem to develop it after surgery, but until this study, researchers weren't aware that it might be living or feeding on medical plastics. By analyzing a strain of the bacteria taken from a patient's wound swab, the microbial researchers found that P. aeruginosa seems specifically to survive longer on polycaprolactone, a plastic used in all kinds of medical interventions ranging from sutures, stints, and surgical mesh to wound dressings, drug-delivery patches, and implants. In Brunel University's press release about the "world-first" research, study leader Ronan McCarthy said this finding suggests that medical professionals should rethink how bugs spread throughout hospitals and other healthcare settings. "Plastics, including plastic surfaces, could potentially be food for these bacteria," McCarthy said. "Pathogens with this ability could survive for longer in the hospital environment." The study also, as the professor noted, "means that any medical device or treatment that contains plastic" — including the ventilators some pneumonia patients need and catheters necessary for UTIs — "could be susceptible to degradation by bacteria." Beyond its ability to break down such important medical tools, the researchers also found that the enzyme they isolated appears to grow stronger biofilms, or outer layers that help bacteria resist antibiotics and make them harder to treat, after digesting plastic. Though there will obviously need to be more study to figure out how best to head off this plastic-eating menace, there's a 200-year history of pathogenic adaptation behind P. aeruginosa that suggests it may eventually circumvent any such measures. Still, McCarthy pointed out that scientists "need to understand the impact this has on patient safety." "Plastic is everywhere in modern medicine," he said, "and it turns out some pathogens have adapted to degrade it." More on bacteria: Mysterious Bacteria Not Found on Earth Are Growing on China's Space Station
The Star
21-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
INTERACTIVE: Stronger fight needed against 'superbugs' as some germs grow more resistant
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia faces an uphill battle as infections may get harder to cure. Some germs have gotten stronger, while a study at a hospital in Terengganu found that such bacteria can spread the ability to resist medicine to others. Two types of bacteria have become stronger against antibiotics, the Health Ministry told The Star, but the increase in resistance was at 'a slow rate'. Such bacteria are Escherichia coli ( which causes wound and urinary tract infections, as well as Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) which causes lower respiratory tract infection. Both showed a spike in resistance rates, from about 25% in 2019 to 30% in 2023. Other kinds of bacteria did not show much changes, but some recorded resistance rates as high as 92% to certain antibiotics, according to the ministry's National Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance Report (NASR) 2023. A study in a hospital in Terengganu, by local and international experts, showed that bacteria can also spread the ability to resist antibiotics to other types of bacteria, making the situation more challenging. The good news is that Malaysia is taking steps to prevent this problem, known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR), from escalating. The Health Ministry, through its National Antimicrobial Resistance Committee, is strengthening surveillance and promoting the appropriate use of antimicrobials in all sectors. 'The persistent threat of AMR is a significant concern in Malaysia and worldwide. 'The ministry is dedicated to combating this growing threat through a comprehensive One Health approach,' the ministry said. Elaborating, it said AMR was a multifaceted issue, affecting human health, animals, agriculture and the environment. 'We are employing a collaborative approach that involves multiple sectors,' the ministry said, adding that such steps include careful application of antibiotics for human, animal, and environmental health, including at hospitals and clinics. AMR is when infections become harder to treat because bacteria no longer respond to medicine. It is caused by the overprescription of antibiotics to patients, as well as its overuse in food production, particularly in the poultry, livestock and aquaculture industries. AMR is projected to cause about 87,000 lives to be lost between 2020 and 2030 in Malaysia if no intervention is taken. Tougher to treat It is difficult to pinpoint the reasons for the increase in resistance rates, but for some bacteria, it was due to the challenges in managing Covid-19 cases during the pandemic. For example, the resistance rates for two bacteria, Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), which can cause pneumonia and other infections, went up during the pandemic. 'The upsurge of the multidrug resistant A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa can be attributed to the complexity of managing Covid-19 cases. "Some case management required multiple antibiotic therapy, leading to AMR development during the pandemic. 'But the resistance rates normalised in the recent years after the pandemic,' the ministry explained. However, the resistance rate of E. coli continued to grow: its resistance rate towards the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin rose from 24.9% in 2019 to 30% in 2023. Similarly for K. pneumoniae, the bacteria's resistance rate towards the same antibiotic increased from 11.6% in 2019 to 19.9% in 2023, based on the NASR 2023. Below is a look at the other bacteria covered in the report, and what diseases they can cause. For the increasingly resistant K. pneumoniae, Universiti Malaya (UM) Centre for Natural Product and Drug Discovery microbiology unit assistant coordinator Dr. Jasmine E. Khairat described it as a significant threat. Sharing her personal experience, she said her father had a scary health ordeal - after two weeks of coughing, he had a seizure and was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit. 'The culprit was identified as and he ended up spending two weeks in the hospital,' she said. Dr Jasmine said the level of antibiotic resistance varies among superbugs and across different regions and healthcare facilities within Malaysia. 'That is why continuous surveillance is crucial to monitor these trends,' she added. On the multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa, UM faculty of science institute of biological sciences senior lecturer Dr Muhamad Afiq Aziz said this bacteria was frequently found in hospital settings. 'It can cause a range of infections, involving skin, lungs and wounds. 'Its resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics makes treatment particularly challenging,' he said. Because each bacteria can be treated with different antibiotics, they show different resistance rates depending on which medicine is used. Here's a more detailed look at how each bacteria responded: Worrying behaviour Another challenge is that bacteria can spread the ability to resist the effects of antibiotics to other kinds of bacteria, potentially creating a bigger problem. This was shown in a study conducted in a hospital in Terengganu by a group of researchers, led by Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin's Prof Dr Yeo Chew Chieng, whose expertise includes bacteriology as well as molecular and structural biology. The team, made up of local researchers and experts from the United Kingdom, found that most of the A. baumannii bacteria were resistant to multiple antibiotics, based on 10 years' worth of data. Their research also found that 97% of the bacterial samples carried plasmids – tiny DNA 'toolkits' – that help spread antibiotic resistance. 'Some plasmids could be transferred to other species of bacteria and this complicates our fight against AMR,' said Prof Yeo in an interview. Asked if this meant that more superbugs could be emerging in Malaysia, he said such a problem was not restricted to just our country but around the world. 'This is why the World Health Organisation (WHO) lists AMR as the top global public health threat,' said Prof Yeo, who is with the university's faculty of medicine biomedical research centre. A. baumannii, a well-known multidrug-resistant bacteria worldwide, can cause infections in blood, lungs, urinary tracts and wounds, typically in healthcare settings like hospitals. What we can do now Experts have urged for more to be done to stop AMR from getting out of control. UM's Dr Jasmine said while it's good that Malaysia has action plans on AMR, it needs to be continuously tracked and evaluated. 'There should also be more surveillance by expanding systems across human, animal, and environmental sectors to track AMR trends and antibiotic usage which is crucial for informed policy and interventions,' she said. Unfortunately, granular data for Malaysia is lacking when it comes to AMR, said Prof Yeo. He said there was a need for better genomic surveillance, which is the process of monitoring pathogens and studying their genetic similarities and differences. Likening it to knowing the various Covid-19 variants like Omicron and others, Prof Yeo said Malaysia needs such information on the various bacteria and their lineages so that there are clearer policies on which antibiotics to prescribe. 'If we don't know the type of bacteria that are causing infections, it will be very difficult to counter this threat,' he said. Prof Yeo said the time is now for Malaysia and the world to increase efforts in combating AMR, if we don't want to face an "antibiotic apocalypse", a situation where bacterial infections are untreatable. 'The number of new antibiotics being developed and ready for use is coming in like a trickle, so we want to avoid it being outpaced by AMR,' he added. Apart from being a hospital or clinical problem, Prof Yeo said our livestock are also being given antibiotics to prevent diseases and promote growth. 'This is indeed a very dangerous practice as many studies have shown that bacteria from livestock and animals could be reservoirs for not only potential bacterial pathogens but also AMR genes,' he said. Dr Muhamad Afiq said the threat posed by AMR is comparable to major diseases like cancer and infectious diseases, considering its potential impact on global health. He called on the government to invest in research and development of alternatives to antibiotics, such as bacteriophages (viruses that target and kill bacteria) and antivirulence agents, which work by disarming bacteria rather than killing them. 'These agents target factors like toxins and enzymes that make bacteria harmful. 'This search for antivirulence compounds is part of my ongoing research sponsored by the Higher Education Ministry, and we hope it can contribute meaningfully to the broader fight against AMR,' he said. Calling for more prudent antibiotic use, Dr Muhamad Afiq said each time an antibiotic is used, an environment is created where only the bacteria that can withstand the drug survive. 'These survivors, often carrying resistance genes, then multiply and spread. 'This is what we call selective pressure. 'By using fewer antibiotics in general, we reduce this pressure, giving fewer bacteria the chance to develop and pass on resistance,' he said. Every Malaysian also has a role to play in the fight against AMR. Here's how we can prevent AMR from spiralling out of control:
