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news.Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi-aventis, has signed an agreement with KaloBios Pharmaceuticals, a US-based biotech company, for the development of a Humaneered antibody fragment to both treat and prevent Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) infections.
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As per the agreement, Sanofi Pasteur has acquired worldwide rights to KaloBios’ technology for all disease indications related to Pa infections, except cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis, which Sanofi Pasteur has the option to obtain at a later date. KaloBios has already completed phase I clinical trials – one in healthy volunteers and one in cystic fibrosis patients, and a small proof of concept phase II clinical trial in mechanically ventilated patients.
Wayne Pisano, president and CEO of Sanofi Pasteur, said: “KaloBios has shown convincing safety data in phase I studies and a trend toward efficacy in a phase II study of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Hospital-acquired Pa infections are associated with very high levels of morbidity, mortality and costs and treating them represents a significant, unmet medical need. Despite modern antibiotic therapy, treatment failures, relapses and deaths are common.”
The two primary target indications for the antibody are prevention of Pa associated pneumonia in mechanically ventilated patients in hospitals as well as prevention of relapses and potential improvement of treatment outcomes in patients with an ongoing Pa infection.