Botanix confirms presentation of data at upcoming congress

Clinical dermatology company Botanix Pharmaceuticals (ASX:BOT) has confirmed upcoming presentations of data related to its antimicrobial synthetic cannabidiol program BTX 1801.

The presentations will be at the upcoming 32nd European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2022) in Lisbon.

ECCMID brings together leading experts from across the globe in the areas of infectious diseases, infection control and clinical microbiology to present and discuss the most recent clinical results.

Botanix said two presentations of BTX 1801 data will take place during ECCMID Session 5a.

The first abstract (00129) is focused on the antimicrobial profile of BTX-1801 and will be presented by the lead author Professor Geoffrey Coombs of Murdoch University. It presents the results of an evaluation of BTX 1801 activity against a broad panel of gram-positive aerobic bacteria with clinically important resistance phenotypes.

Professor Coombs said, “Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of bacteremia, particularly in patients with central venous catheters (CVCs) who are admitted to intensive care units or undergoing high-risk surgical procedures or hemodialysis. BTX 1801 is a promising agent that is being developed to prevent serious gram-positive infections in patients who are intranasal S aureus carriers at increased risk of bacteremia, due to hemodialysis vascular access with central venous catheters.”

The second abstract (00145) is focused on the bactericidal activity of BTX 1801 and will be presented by Angela Kavanagh of The University of Queensland. The company said the abstract supports its published synthetic cannabidiol time-kill data and its interaction with MRSA bacteria membrane, suggesting potential modes of action for cannabidiol.

Ms Kavanagh said, “The novel mechanism of BTX 1801 bactericidal action includes membrane disruption and inhibition of nucleic acid, phospholipid and protein synthesis and is consistent with its low propensity for Gram-positive agents like S aureus, to develop resistance to BTX 1801.”

Botanix president and executive chair Vince Ippolito said, “The data to be presented at the upcoming ECCMID 2022 conference suggests the significant potential of BTX 1801 to prevent S. aureus bloodstream infections associated with considerable morbidity, mortality, and cost in haemodialysis patients who use Central Venous Catheters.

“We look forward to sharing the compelling BTX 1801 data with leading infectious disease experts at the upcoming EDDMID 2022 conference.”

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