CF Foundation Has Awarded Up to $3M to Kinnear Pharmaceuticals for Anti-Infective

BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has awarded up to $3 million to Kinnear Pharmaceuticals to conduct preclinical testing of a broad-spectrum anti-infective that has the potential to treat multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas and other infections in people with cystic fibrosis. People with CF who have chronic infections are at greater risk for worsening lung disease, and infection remains a top concern of both patients and clinicians.

Kinnear is developing CSA-131, a synthetic compound that mimics natural compounds in the body that help fight bacterial and fungal infections. The novel drug candidate aims to inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi, break down their biofilms -- protective layers that bacteria and fungi form that make them more difficult to kill with anti-infectives -- and ultimately kill these organisms.

“Expanding the number of approved anti-infective therapies is critical, as people with CF continue to experience chronic infections throughout their lives and we continue to see a rise in the prevalence of multi-drug resistant bacteria,” said JP Clancy, MD, vice president of clinical research at the Foundation. “This program joins nine other promising potential anti-infective treatments currently in the pipeline.”

The funding is for toxicity studies and experiments that will help determine proper dosing in preparation for eventual clinical trials. CSA-131, which would be inhaled, would be first used to treat Pseudomonas; however, preliminary lab data suggest potential effectiveness against other types of CF infections. More than 40% of people with CF carried Pseudomonas in 2019 and about 17% of individuals with Pseudomonas infections that year had multi-drug resistant strains, according to the Foundation’s 2019 Patient Registry Report.

The CF Foundation's Commitment to Infection Research

In 2018, the CF Foundation dedicated at least $100 million to its Infection Research Initiative as part of a sweeping effort to advance research into bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. The Infection Research Initiative is a comprehensive approach to improve outcomes associated with infections through enhanced detection, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

The Foundation already has committed more than $79 million to the initiative, and we will continue to invest in any science that we believe holds real promise to address infections. Currently, we are funding more than 15 industry programs to develop treatments for CF-related infections.

About the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the world's leader in the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis. The Foundation funds more CF research than any other organization, and nearly every CF drug available today was made possible because of Foundation support. Based in Bethesda, Md., the Foundation also supports and accredits a national care center network that has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health as a model of care for a chronic disease. The CF Foundation is a donor-supported nonprofit organization. For more information, visit cff.org.