Nektar’s novel drug-device system uses a nebulizer and Nektar proprietary adapter technology, along with a unique formulation of liquid antibiotics, to target the lungs directly with preventative doses of medicine in a ventilated patient.
“Nektar’s Inhaled ICU antibiotics represents a potential advance in critical care medicine by preventing costly and fatal pneumonia for the 450,000 patients in the US that are at highest risk for this disease,” said Dr Andy Clark, Nektar senior fellow and chief technical officer.
A proof-of-principle study sponsored by Nektar demonstrated that aerosolized antibiotics reduce the persistence of ventilator-associated pneumonia after its onset by approximately half as compared to placebo. Nektar expects to initiate a phase II dose confirmation study in mid-2006.