Australian Biotech's Synthetic Gel Shows Promise in Treating Skin Infections

Recce Pharmaceuticals, an Australian biotechnology company, has reported successful results from a phase 2 trial of its novel synthetic anti-infective gel, R327G. The gel demonstrated efficacy in treating a range of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI), including diabetic foot infections, potentially positioning the company to address the growing global threat of antimicrobial resistance.

Trial Results and Implications

In the phase 2 trial, 27 out of 29 evaluated patients (93%) who received R327G for 14 days met the primary efficacy endpoint. The gel was also shown to be safe and well-tolerated, with no serious adverse events reported. These results have set the stage for Recce Pharmaceuticals to advance towards registrational phase 3 trials in Indonesia and Australia.

James Graham, CEO of Recce Pharmaceuticals, highlighted the significance of these findings, stating, "These impressive results underscore the potential of our topical gel to meet critical unmet medical needs in infection treatment." He expressed optimism about the rapid efficacy and strong safety outcomes demonstrated in the study.

Addressing Antimicrobial Resistance

The development of R327G comes at a critical time when the pharmaceutical industry is grappling with the challenge of antimicrobial resistance. Despite the growing threat, many major biopharmaceutical companies have abandoned research into new antibiotics due to low returns on investment. Recce Pharmaceuticals is positioning R327 as both an intravenous and topical therapy capable of tackling life-threatening infections from Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including their superbug forms.

Dr. Alan Dunton, Chief Medical Officer at Recce, emphasized the broad-spectrum nature and rapid onset of R327G's effect. He noted that Recce has demonstrated in vitro effectiveness of its R327 anti-infective compounds against diverse bacterial species, including over 500 clinical isolates, many of which were previously considered drug-resistant.

Market Potential and Future Prospects

The global market for ABSSSIs, which include conditions such as necrotizing fasciitis and post-operative wound infections, is projected to reach $26 billion by 2032. This presents a significant opportunity for Recce Pharmaceuticals as it advances its novel anti-infective treatments.

Beyond R327, Recce's pipeline includes other synthetic polymer anti-infectives: R435 for bacterial infections and R529 for viral infections. The company's focus on developing new antimicrobial agents aligns with the FDA's increased demand for novel broad-spectrum antibiotics to combat antimicrobial resistance.

As Recce Pharmaceuticals prepares for phase 3 trials, the pharmaceutical industry will be watching closely to see if R327G can deliver on its promise of providing a new weapon in the fight against resistant infections.