- At the 7th World Bronchiectasis Conference, Mengke Pharmaceutical showcased the latest research progress of company pipeline products MRX-8 and MRX-5.
- Three important research results further support the potential of MRX-8 and MRX-5 in treating non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.
DUNDEE, SCOTLAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mengke Pharmaceutical showcased the latest research progress of the company's new antibacterial pipeline products MRX-8 and MRX-5 at the 7th World Bronchiectasis Conference in Dundee, Scotland from July 4th to July 6th, 2024. These research results provide new hopes for the future treatment of Nontuberculous Mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.
Conference Background
The World Bronchiectasis Conference is a leading academic conference focused on research and treatment of bronchiectasis globally. The conference brings together top scientists and clinical experts from around the world to discuss the latest research progress, clinical management strategies, and development of new therapies for bronchiectasis.
Research Highlights
As a biomedical enterprise committed to developing innovative anti-infection drugs, Mengke Pharmaceutical presented three important research results at the conference in poster form, which further supported the potential of MRX-8 and MRX-5 in treating specific infections:
- In vitro and in vivo activity of a novel antibiotic in the polymyxin class against Pseudomonas aeruginosa
MRX-8 showed strong in vitro antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (including clinical isolates resistant to tigecycline and amikacin). In a mouse model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection, which included sensitive and resistant isolates to tigecycline, nebulized MRX-8 treatment significantly reduced bacterial burden in lung tissue, showing bactericidal activity.
- In Vitro Activity of Novel Leucyl-tRNA Synthetase Inhibitor Against Mycobacterium Avium Complex
MRX-6038 (the main active metabolite of MRX-5) showed strong in vitro antibacterial activity against clinical isolates of Mycobacterium avium complex (including isolates resistant to clarithromycin). When MRX-6038 was used in combination with standard treatment drugs (clarithromycin, rifampin, amikacin, and ethambutol), the drug-resistant frequency was significantly reduced to less than 6.5 × 10-11.The evaluation of MRX-6038 for the treatment of Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease still needs further research.
- In vitro and In vivo activity of a novel Leucyl-tRNA synthetase inhibitor against Mycobacterium abscessus
MRX-6038 showed extremely strong in vitro antibacterial activity against clinical isolates of Mycobacterium abscessus, with an MIC90 of 0.5 mg/L, while the MIC90 of the reference drug clarithromycin was 4 mg/L. MRX-6038 significantly reduced the drug-resistant frequency of standard treatment drugs (ethambutol, clarithromycin, rifabutin, levofloxacin, amikacin, imipenem/cilastatin, and ciprofloxacin), with a reduction of 10 to 100,000 times, demonstrating the potential of combination therapy with current therapy. Oral pre-drug MRX-5 was tested in mice infected with Mycobacterium abscessus isolates causing lung infections, and the results showed that it was effective against isolates sensitive and resistant to clarithromycin.
About MRX-8
MRX-8 is a new type of injectable polymyxin class antibacterial drug independently developed by Mengke Pharmaceutical, mainly used to treat severe infections caused by multiple drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. In the context of traditional polymyxin class drugs being limited in clinical use due to kidney and nerve toxicity, MRX-8 has been carefully designed not only to maintain or enhance therapeutic efficacy, but also to significantly improve safety by greatly reducing potential toxic risks. In 2022, MRX-8 completed phase I clinical trials in the United States. In 2023, MRX-8 completed phase I in China and released major research results in June 2024. The trial results showed that at expected clinical dosage, exposure to MRX-8 in the human body is expected to achieve ideal therapeutic effects against infections caused by Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia cepacia complex, etc. In addition to systemic administration, the company also plans to explore the development of MRX-8 inhalation formulation and tap its clinical and commercial value for targeted treatment of chronic lung infections.
In addition to systemic administration, the company also plans to explore the development of MRX-8 inhalation formulation and tap its clinical and commercial value for targeted treatment of chronic lung infections.
About MRX-5 and NTM
MRX-5 is a new type of bedaquiline class antibiotic independently developed by Mengke Pharmaceutical for the treatment of infections caused by NTM.
NTM is a common pathogen that causes bronchiectasis. In recent years, NTM disease has shown a rapid increasing trend, and has become one of the important public health issues threatening human health. Among the diseases caused by NTM, infections of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABSC) account for 70%-95% of NTM diseases. The main clinical symptoms of NTM lung infection include persistent cough, sputum production, chest pain, dyspnea, fatigue, weight loss, and malaise.
Based on pre-clinical data, MRX-5 has demonstrated good antibacterial activity against most common NTM pathogens, and has shown good safety in animal experiments. In addition, its characteristics of low drug interactions, low development of resistance, and oral administration make it an ideal candidate drug for the treatment of chronic infections. Currently, MRX-5 is undergoing Phase I clinical trials and is expected to provide a new treatment option for NTM patients.
References:
[1] Chinese Medical Association of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases Branch. Diagnosis and treatment guidelines for nontuberculous mycobacterial diseases (2020 edition)[J]. Chinese Journal of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, 2020, 43(11):918-946. DOI:10.3760/cma.j.cn112147-20200508-00570.
[2] Lu Kuo, Chen Shanzhe, Chen Rongchang, et al. Host factors of nontuberculous mycobacterial diseases[J]. Chinese Journal of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, 2022, 45(7):716-720. DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112147-20211210-00872.
Remarks:
- As of the publication date, MRX-5 and MRX-8 have not been approved for marketing in China or overseas.
- Any medical and pharmaceutical information contained in this article is for scientific information only and cannot replace consultations with doctors or other qualified health professionals, nor can it replace medical advice provided by doctors or health professionals. This article is only for the news release of Mengke Pharmaceutical, and is not for advertising purposes. The related information is not aimed at patients, but for reference by medical and health professionals. Mengke Pharmaceutical does not make any form of guarantee or assume any responsibility for the accuracy, timeliness and completeness of the content of this article.
About Mengke
Founded in 2007, Mengke is an innovative biomedical company with global independent intellectual property rights and international competitiveness, focusing on the treatment of infectious diseases and committed to discovering, developing and commercializing innovative drugs for unmet clinical needs. Since its inception, the company has adhered to the concept of "seeking good effects with good drugs", focusing on the increasingly serious problem of global bacterial resistance, and taking solving clinical problems and differentiated innovation as the core competitiveness, aiming to provide more effective and safer treatment options for the most common and serious bacterial infections in clinical practice. For more information, please visit the Mengke Pharmaceutical official website or subscribe to the Mengke Pharmaceutical China official WeChat account.