Rempex Pharmaceuticals to Present Data at ICAAC on Carbavance™, a New Agent Designed to Treat Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) Gram-Negative Bacteria

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Rempex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it will present data describing the antimicrobial activity and preclinical safety of Carbavance^TM, a broad-spectrum antibiotic combination agent designed to treat serious bacterial infections due to Gram-negative bacteria. Preclinical studies show that Carbavance has activity against key Gram-negative pathogens, including E. coli, Klebsiella sp., Acinetobacter sp., and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Results from a number of these preclinical studies will be presented in 11 posters at ICAAC (www.icaac.org) on Monday, September 10.

Carbavance^TM is a combination of a carbapenem antibiotic (RPX2003) combined with a second drug (RPX7009) that acts as an inhibitor of bacterial beta-lactamases. Beta-lactamase inhibitors are agents that inhibit bacterial enzymes that destroy beta-lactam antibiotics and result in resistance. Many Gram-negative bacteria produce these enzymes and thus have become resistant to first line as well as "last defense" antimicrobials used in hospitals. Carbavance was designed to address Gram-negative bacteria that produce new beta-lactamase enzymes that have spread in the US and Europe, including strains producing the Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) enzyme.

"It is recognized that the worldwide spread of relatively common hospital pathogens producing multiple beta-lactamases, including the KPC enzyme, threatens a highly useful class of antimicrobial agents," said Dr. Michael N. Dudley, Senior VP for Research and Development and Chief Scientific Officer at Rempex. "Rempex and our scientific collaborators look forward to presenting the data on Carbavance that has supported initiation of human studies. We are working with clinical investigators and regulatory authorities on designing a development pathway that can speed the availability of this agent to patients and clinicians."

About Gram-negative infections and antibiotic resistance

Gram-negative bacteria including organisms such as E coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter sp. have become among the most difficult infections to treat in the hospital setting.  Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in December 2009 found a "worrisome shift toward infections that are due to Gram-negative pathogens" in an international study examining the prevalence and outcomes of infection in intensive care units.  In this study, Gram-negative bacteria were present in 62% of positive microbial isolates, surpassing Gram-positive bacteria at 47%.

Antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria has increased markedly in the last decade, leaving clinicians and critically-ill patients few choices for treatment. This has created an urgent need for new agents that has been recognized worldwide by health authorities. Further details on antimicrobial resistance and the need for new antimicrobials can be found at the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) at http://www.idsociety.org/AR_Policy/

About Rempex Pharmaceuticals

Rempex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to develop important new therapies to combat the growing issue of antibiotic resistance. The company is focused on developing internally discovered new treatments for resistant Gram-negative infections. Rempex's pipeline includes Carbavance^TM and RPX-602, both for use in Gram-negative infections that occur in the hospital setting, and RPX-978 for ophthalmologic infections.

Company website: www.rempexpharma.com

SOURCE Rempex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.