Tag Archive for: OligoG

AlgiPharma awarded four year grant from Norwegian Research Council

AlgiPharma has been awarded a new four year grant from the Norwegian Research Council for the project “Treatment of Chronic Infective Disease with Alginate Oligomer Based Formulations”. This study will focus on extended long term safety studies and formulation changes to further develop the AlgiPharma drug candidate OligoG for the treatment of cystic fibrosis.

For further information, please contact:
Arne Dessen, Chairman of Board; arne.dessen@algipharma.com
Philip D. Rye R&D Director; phil.rye@algipharma.com

February 2015

Technology Strategy Board (Innovate UK) & Innovation Norway – New Funding Success

Building on the previous success with the AlgiFerm project, AlgiPharma, together with leading experts in fermentation at the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI, Redcar, UK), FMC Biopolymer, and SINTEF have secured additional funding from the UK’s Technology Strategy Board (now Innovate UK) and Innovation Norway for further investigation on microbial production of AlgiPharma’s promising new alginate oligomer drug candidate, OligoG. The study will focus on developing methods for scaling-up microbial fermentation production of OligoG at CPI.

The project, ALGIPRO, is an innovative collaborative effort between Norway and the UK. It will translate over 20 years of academic research into an industrial scale production process for alginates. The Centre for Process Innovation Ltd. (UK) is leading the scale-up based on development by SINTEF (Norway). AlgiPharma AS (Norway) will use the product as the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient in its development of medicines for cystic fibrosis, COPD and chronic wounds. FMC Biopolymer (UK, Norway) will market the product in existing and new applications within the food and pharmaceutical markets. If successful ALGIPRO  will facilitate the introduction of novel medicinal products to the market that will ease patient suffering and potentially reduce healthcare costs. In addition it will be a new tool in fighting multi-drug resistant bacteria. The project is funded through a joint UK-Norwegian initiative between the Technology Strategy Board and Innovation Norway.

For further information, please contact:
Arne Dessen, Executive Chairman; arne.dessen@algipharma.com
Philip D. Rye R&D Director; phil.rye@algipharma.com

November 2014

Technology Strategy Board & Innovation Norway – Algiferm Project Success

The collaboration project initiated by AlgiPharma, together with leading experts in fermentation at the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI, Redcar, UK), has been successful in achieving the project milestones. The participating groups which include CPI, SINTEF and AlgiPharma, have successfully demonstrated the feasibility for industrial scale microbial fermentation production of AlgiPharma’s promising new alginate oligomer drug candidate, OligoG. This is a significant step forward in AlgiPharma’s development of its alginate oligomer technology. These results will facilitate the introduction of novel medicinal products to fight infection and disease, reducing patient suffering and potentially reduce healthcare costs. The project was funded through a joint UK-Norwegian initiative between the Technology Strategy Board and Innovation Norway.

For further information, please contact:
Arne Dessen, Executive Chairman; arne.dessen@algipharma.com
Philip D. Rye R&D Director; phil.rye@algipharma.com

January 2014

AlgiPharma awarded four year grant from Norwegian Research Council

AlgiPharma has been awarded a four year grant from the Norwegian Research Council for the project “Tailored OligoG in the treatment of chronic infectious biofilms”. This study involving an international consortium will investigate microbial sources of raw material for AlgiPharma’s alginate technology and determine optimal oligomer length associated with specific known OligoG antimicrobial properties.

For further information, please contact:
Arne Dessen, Chairman of Board; arne.dessen@algipharma.com
Philip D. Rye R&D Director; phil.rye@algipharma.com

July 2013

Technology Strategy Board & Innovation Norway – New Funding Success 

A collaboration project initiated by AlgiPharma, together with leading experts in fermentation at the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI, Redcar, UK), has secured funding (2.700.000 NOK) from the UK’s Technology Strategy Board and Innovation Norway for a feasibility study on microbial production of AlgiPharma’s promising new alginate oligomer drug candidate, OligoG. The 9 month study will focus on developing methods for the pilot scale microbial fermentation production of OligoG at CPI, with support from our partners at SINTEF, who provide the essential expertise in laboratory scale fermentation of alginates.

The alginate oligomer fermentation project, ALGIFERM, translates 20 years of academic research into an industrial scale feasibility study. The Centre for Process Innovation Ltd.(UK) is leading the scale-up, whereas AlgiPharma AS (Norway) needs the final product as an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient in its development of medicines for cystic fibrosis, COPD and chronic wounds, like diabetic foot ulcers. The biofilm disrupting and antibiotic potentiating technology that has been developed by AlgiPharma was recently published (Khan S., et al., Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2012;56(10):5134-41). If the scale-up is successful it will facilitate the introduction of novel medicinal products to the market that will ease patient suffering and potentially reduce healthcare costs. In addition it will be a new tool in fighting multi-drug resistant bacteria. Both AlgiPharma and CPI will obtain help from SINTEF (Norway), in this innovative collaborative effort between Norwegian and English researchers.

The project is funded through a joint UK-Norwegian initiative between the Technology Strategy Board and Innovation Norway.

For further information, please contact:
Arne Dessen, Executive Chairman; arne.dessen@algipharma.com
Philip D. Rye R&D Director; phil.rye@algipharma.com

April 2013

The effect of alginate oligosaccharides on the mechanical properties of Gram-negative biofilms

Powell LC, Sowedan A, Khan S, Wright CJ, Hawkins K, Onsøyen E, Myrvold R, Hill KE, Thomas DW.
Biofouling. 2013 Apr;29(4):413-21. doi: 10.1080/08927014.2013.777954.

External link to Pubmed.gov

Abstract

The influence of a novel, safe antibiofilm therapy on the mechanical properties of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii biofilms in vitro was characterized. A multiscale approach employing atomic force microscopy (AFM) and rheometry was used to quantify the mechanical disruption of the biofilms by a therapeutic polymer based on a low-molecular weight alginate oligosaccharide (OligoG). AFM demonstrated structural alterations in the biofilms exposed to OligoG, with significantly lower Young’s moduli than the untreated biofilms, (149 MPa vs 242 MPa; p < 0.05), a decreased resistance to hydrodynamic shear and an increased surface irregularity (Ra) in the untreated controls (35.2 nm ± 7.6 vs 12.1 nm ± 5.4; p < 0.05). Rheology demonstrated that increasing clinically relevant concentrations of OligoG (<10%) were associated with an increasing phase angle (δ) over a wide range of frequencies (0.1-10 Hz). These results highlight the utility of these techniques for the study of three-dimensional biofilms and for quantifying novel disruption therapies in vitro.

For further information, please contact:
Philip D. Rye R&D Director; phil.rye@algipharma.com

April 2013

AlgiPharma awarded secured 2.700.000 NOK for joint UK/Norwegian innovation project

In collaboration with leading experts in fermentation at the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI, Newcastle, UK), Algipharma has secured combined funding (2.700.000 NOK) from the UK’s Technology Strategy Board and Innovation Norway for pilot scale studies for production of its promising new alginate oligomer drug candidate. The funding also provides for continued support from SINTEF consolidating their key expertise in laboratory scale fermentation of alginates.

For further information, please contact:
Arne Dessen, Chairman of Board; arne.dessen@algipharma.com
Philip D. Rye R&D Director; phil.rye@algipharma.com

February 2013

Overcoming drug resistance with alginate oligosaccharides able to potentiate the action of selected antibiotics

Khan S, Tøndervik A, Sletta H, Klinkenberg G, Emanuel C, Onsøyen E, Myrvold R, Howe RA, Walsh TR, Hill KE, Thomas DW.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2012 Oct;56(10):5134-41. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00525-12. Epub 2012 Jul 23.

External link to Pubmed.gov

Abstract

The uncontrolled, often inappropriate use of antibiotics has resulted in the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, with major cost implications for both United States and European health care systems. We describe the utilization of a low-molecular-weight oligosaccharide nanomedicine (OligoG), based on the biopolymer alginate, which is able to perturb multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria by modulating biofilm formation and persistence and reducing resistance to antibiotic treatment, as evident using conventional and robotic MIC screening and microscopic analyses of biofilm structure. OligoG increased (up to 512-fold) the efficacy of conventional antibiotics against important MDR pathogens, including Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Burkholderia spp., appearing to be effective with several classes of antibiotic (i.e., macrolides, β-lactams, and tetracyclines). Using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), increasing concentrations (2%, 6%, and 10%) of alginate oligomer were shown to have a direct effect on the quality of the biofilms produced and on the health of the cells within that biofilm. Biofilm growth was visibly weakened in the presence of 10% OligoG, as seen by decreased biomass and increased intercellular spaces, with the bacterial cells themselves becoming distorted and uneven due to apparently damaged cell membranes. This report demonstrates the feasibility of reducing the tolerance of wound biofilms to antibiotics with the use of specific alginate preparations.

For further information, please contact:
Philip D. Rye R&D Director; phil.rye@algipharma.com

August 2012

AlgiPharma granted permission to start Phase II trials in Cystic Fibrosis

AlgiPharma has been granted permission to start its clinical phase 2 trial in cystic fibrosis patients by the Irish Medicines Board. The study title is: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over study to evaluate the safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of alginate oligosaccharide (OligoG) administered for 28 days in subjects with Cystic Fibrosis chronically colonised with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Yngvar P. Berg, CEO; yngvar.berg@algipharma.com
Astrid Hilde Myrset, Clinical Director; astrid.hilde.myrset@algipharma.com

April 2011

US Department of Defense supports an AlgiPharma initiated in vivo wound healing study on OligoG

AlgiPharma has together with Prof. Chandan Sen, at Ohio State University embarked on a study to investigate the effects of OligoG in a unique biofilm infected in vivo wound healing model.

For further information, please contact:
Philip D. Rye R&D Director; phil.rye@algipharma.com

August 2010