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Novel Therapy for Staphylococcal Infection

Award Information
Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Branch: National Institutes of Health
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 2R44AI047550-02A1
Amount: $387,424.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2001
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
2462 WYANDOTTE ST
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA 94043
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 SUSAN WRIGHT
 () -
Business Contact
Phone: (650) 694-4996
Email: WWW.PANO.COM
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has
created an urgent need for new therapeutic approaches to treat the
variety of diseases caused by this common pathogen. S. aureus damages
host tissues by the secretion of a variety of toxic exomolecules known
as virulence factors. The expression of these factors is controlled by an
autocrine regulatory system whereby bacteria secrete autoinducing
pheromone peptides that act on the cell to upregulate expression of the
set of genes encoding virulence factors. This proposal is based on the
serendipitous discovery of a modified peptide contaminating a batch of
synthetic pheromone peptide based on the sequence of a non-
pathogenic strain of Staphylococcus. This peptide, called virulence
inhibitory factor (VIF), inhibited synthesis of alpha toxin and toxic
shock syndrome toxin in all Staphylococcal strains tested. Further
studies revealed that small molecule analogs of VIF inhibited virulence
factor production in vitro and protected mice from a lethal systemic S.
aureus infection. The goal of this proposal is to evaluate a large panel
of small VIF analogs in vitro and select the best drug candidate for
further studies in vivo. Proposed studies include pharmacology,
toxicology, and various animal models of S. aureus infection in
preparation of an IND. This novel therapeutic approach has promise in
the treatment of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococci.

PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS:
Due to the emergence of drug-resistant strains of Staphylococci, many
infections are not treatable with conventional antibiotics. The
pathogenesis of Staph. infections depend on the production of virulence
factors that promote bacterial colonization and are toxic to the host
tissues. The present application proposes to develop a novel drug that
inhibits production of virulence factors and should be therapeutic to
antibiotic resistant Staph.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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