Aeolus initiates new studies of anti-mustard gas drug

The studies, funded by the National Institutes for Health’s CounterACT program, have been designed to test the efficacy of AEOL 10150 as a treatment for damage to the skin, lungs and eyes due to exposure to sulfur mustard gas and to examine potential effective doses, duration of delivery and the window of opportunity for treatment after exposure.

The new studies will be conducted using ‘whole’ sulfur mustard gas and build on results from previous studies using CEES, an analog of mustard gas, which were conducted at National Jewish Health and the University of Colorado.

Studies at these two sites showed that doses in the range of 5mg/kg to 30mg/kg of AEOL 10150 given at one and eight hours after exposure mitigate both lung and skin injury in animal models. Doses in the range of 5mg/kg/d to 10mg/kg/d showed the most potent effect including significant mitigation as assessed by histopathology and immunohistochemistry, the company said.

AEOL 10150 is a small molecule that catalytically consumes reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (free radicals). The compound is a manganoporphyrin that contains a positively charged manganese metal ion that is able to accept and give electrons to and from reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species.

John McManus, president and CEO of Aeolus Pharmaceuticals, said: Initiating studies in whole mustard is a critical milestone for Aeolus. We are optimistic based on the data from the CEES studies, but are anxious to see the results of studies using whole mustard.