Kenta Biotech (Kenta) has provided positive phase IIa results of its lead drug candidate, panobacumab (KBPA101), showing it is safe and well tolerated in patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Reportedly, the compound, a fully human IgM monoclonal antibody, has the potential to reduce mortality rates. The phase IIa data were presented in a poster session at the 49th annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) in San Francisco.
The open-label phase IIa study evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics and potential efficacy of three separate infusions of panobacumab every third day in high-risk patients with ventilator-associated and hospital-acquired pneumonia, caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa serotype O11.
The company said that a total of 18-patients were treated. Over 13 patients received three doses of panobacumab and five patients received one dose. In addition to the positive safety and tolerability data, panobacumab also showed a better than expected survival rate.
Moreover, all patients receiving the full treatment cycle survived despite a predicted mortality of 24% according to the severity of disease classification (APACHE II).
Kenta is seeking a licensing partner for panobacumab and three complementary antibodies in earlier stages of development.
Violetta Georgescu-Kyburz, CEO at Kenta, said: “We are extremely pleased with these results. They indicate that panobacumab is safe and well tolerated in critically ill patients, as well as showing efficacy with a direct impact on patient survival.”