Motif Bio to work with Lamellar on cystic fibrosis treatment possibility

Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Motif Bio has signed an agreement with Lamellar Biomedical, under which Motif Bio would conduct an in vivo preclinical study evaluating iclaprim in combination with Lamellar's patented ‘Lamellasome’ technology.

The AIM-traded firm noted that Iclaprim had been granted orphan drug designation in the US for staphylococcus aureus pneumonia in patients with cystic fibrosis.

It said Lamellar's Lamellasome candidate LMS-611, which had mucokinetic - or mucus clearing - properties, had demonstrated antibiotic potentiation and had European orphan drug designation for cystic fibrosis.

The companies believed that, based on pre-clinical data with the two individual components, the combination could be a promising potential treatment for lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis, Motif Bio’s board explained.

“We have been looking for a way to optimise the development of iclaprim in patients with cystic fibrosis,” said Motif Bio chief executive officer Dr Graham Lumsden.

“We are excited about the preliminary data we have seen with Lamellar's technology and look forward to evaluating it in combination with iclaprim.”

Dr Alex McLean, chief executive officer of Lamellar Biomedical, added that cystic fibrosis was a “key area of interest” for the company.

“We are delighted to announce this partnership with Motif Bio, which will evaluate the antibiotic potentiation properties of our Lamellasome technology in combination with iclaprim.

“This collaboration augments our own work in this orphan indication, which is focused on a novel nucleic acid-based therapeutic, as we strive to develop a range of highly effective treatment options for patients with cystic fibrosis.”