Peptilogics to Present Data at IDWeek 2022 on PLG0206, an Engineered Antimicrobial Peptide Targeting Bacteria Causing Periprosthetic Joint Infection

PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Peptilogics a clinical stage biotech company engineering peptide therapeutic solutions for patients with life-threatening diseases, is presenting two posters featuring preclinical data from its antimicrobial peptide, PLG0206, at IDWeek 2022. The studies demonstrate the potent activity of PLG0206 against bacteria that cause periprosthetic joint infections (PJI), including multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria. PJI is the most common complication of joint replacement surgery and is a life-changing event for patients. PJI treatment currently requires an average of three major surgeries per patient, which adds a significant burden on patients, surgeons and the healthcare system. With up to a 60% failure rate and a five-year mortality of 25%, this debilitating condition surpasses the death rates of many cancers. In addition, the increased post-surgical use of standard antibiotics can lead to MDR, a major growing public health concern with few or no therapeutic solutions. MDR related infections pose a significant concern to patients as well as society in both the short- and long-term. These challenges necessitate finding new solutions for treating PJI, including those caused by MDR bacteria.

In the data to be presented, PLG0206 demonstrated noteworthy activity against Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, including MDR strains of Gram-negative bacteria that can cause PJI with virtually unchanged minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)50 or MIC90. Furthermore, PLG0206 demonstrated the most potent antimicrobial activity overall (based on MIC50/90) against enterococci and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) and showed similar activity to other antibiotics against methicillin-resistant and -sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA and MSSA). Enterococci, CoNS, and S. aureus are the most common Gram-positive bacteria identified in PJI.

“PLG0206 has the potential to become a much-needed treatment for PJI, including those caused by MDR bacteria, a devastating and costly complication of joint replacement surgery,” said David Huang, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer of Peptilogics. “With the number of surgeries expected to exceed 420,000 by 2030 globally, a peptide therapy specifically engineered to kill a broad spectrum of bacteria, allowing empirical use and effectiveness, with very low propensity for bacterial resistance could prove to be transformative for the treatment of PJI. We are excited to share this additional research presented at IDWeek demonstrating the activity of PLG0206 against a multitude of difficult to treat pathogens that cause periprosthetic joint infections.”

PLG0206 Poster Presentations at IDWeek 2022:

• 1680 - Activity of the Novel Engineered Antimicrobial Peptide PLG0206 Against Enterobacterales Isolates
  • Date: October 22, 2022
  • Time: 12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. ET
  • Presenting Author: David Huang, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer, Peptilogics
• 1681 - Activity of the Novel Engineered Antimicrobial Peptide PLG0206 Against Staphylococci and Enterococci
  • Date: October 22, 2022
  • Time: 12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. ET
  • Presenting Author: David Huang, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer, Peptilogics

IDWeek presentations will be available to conference attendees on-demand beginning October 19, 2022, through IDWeek’s Interactive Program.

About PLG0206

PLG0206 is an investigational, broad-spectrum, non-traditional antibiotic peptide therapeutic currently in Phase 1b clinical development in patients undergoing debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention (DAIR) surgery for the treatment of Prosthetic Joint Infection (PJI) occurring after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). PLG0206 has the potential to rapidly target bacteria and persistent pathogens that produce biofilm and evade conventional antibiotics. It was engineered with a unique mechanism of action to target and disrupt bacterial cell membranes, without causing lysis or targeting human cell membranes at therapeutic doses, thereby reducing the potential for inflammation and cytotoxicity. In both in vitro and non-clinical studies, PLG0206 has demonstrated potent activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative antibiotic resistant bacteria with a low risk of developing resistance to PLG0206. PLG0206 has been granted FDA Orphan Drug designation and Fast Track designation for the treatment of PJI and has also been designated as a Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP).

Periprosthetic Joint Infection (PJI)

Joint replacement is the most common major operative procedure with seven million hip and knee replacements anticipated globally in 2030. PJI is the most burdensome adverse event of joint replacement, both medically and economically, making this a major challenge for patients, hospitals, and payers.

About Peptilogics

Peptilogics engineers peptide therapeutic candidates to radically improve the treatment landscape for patients with life-threatening diseases. Through biological and pharmaceutical expertise, novel artificial intelligence algorithms, and purpose-built super-computing, Peptilogics is advancing an extensive therapeutic pipeline and accelerating discovery efforts at a pace and scale that was previously impossible. Peptilogics is backed by visionary investors in life science and technology including Peter Thiel, Presight Capital, Founders Fund, CARB-X, and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. For more information about Peptilogics, visit www.peptilogics.com or follow the company on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

Research reported in this press release is supported by CARB-X. CARB-X’s funding for this project is provided in part with federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority; under agreement number: 75A50122C00028, and by an award from Wellcome (WT224842). The content of this press release is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of CARB-X or any of its funders.

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