AlgiPharma’s collaboration partners in Cardiff University have recently published an article on the potentiating effects of AlgiPharma’s alginate oligosaccharide technology:

 

Stokniene J, Varache M, Rye PD, Hill KE, Thomas DW, Ferguson EL. Alginate oligosaccharides enhance diffusion and activity of colistin in a mucin-rich environment. Sci Rep. 2022 Mar 23;12(1):4986. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-08927-1. PMID: 35322119; PMCID: PMC8943044.

In a number of chronic respiratory diseases e.g. cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the production of viscous mucin reduces pulmonary function and represents an effective barrier to diffusion of inhaled therapies e.g. antibiotics. Here, a 2-compartment Transwell model was developed to study impaired diffusion of the antibiotic colistin across an artificial sputum (AS) matrix/medium and to quantify its antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa NH57388A biofilms (alone and in combination with mucolytic therapy). High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) revealed that the presence of AS medium significantly reduced the rate of colistin diffusion (> 85% at 48 h; p < 0.05). Addition of alginate oligosaccharide (OligoG CF-5/20) significantly improved colistin diffusion by 3.7 times through mucin-rich AS medium (at 48 h; p < 0.05). Increased diffusion of colistin with OligoG CF-5/20 was shown (using confocal laser scanning microscopy and COMSTAT image analysis) to be associated with significantly increased bacterial killing (p < 0.05). These data support the use of this model to study drug and small molecule delivery across clinically-relevant diffusion barriers. The findings indicate the significant loss of colistin and reduced effectiveness that occurs with mucin binding, and support the use of mucolytics to improve antimicrobial efficacy and lower antibiotic exposure.

 

About AlgiPharma AS:

AlgiPharma AS is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company, founded in 2006 on decades of research and development carried out by FMC BioPolymer AS and the Institute of Biotechnology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, Norway. AlgiPharma has completed 6 clinical trials with two formulations of its lead drug candidate, OligoG, to treat respiratory symptoms of cystic fibrosis.

AlgiPharma owns or licenses all relevant patents upon which the technology platform and products are developed. The company is supported by national and international research programs, and collaborates with a network of key opinion leaders, highly recognized academic institutions, research and patient organizations in Europe and USA.

AlgiPharma has received more than USD 46 million in research and development grants from EU’s 7^th framework program, Horizon 2020, and Eurostars programs, the Norwegian Research Council, Innovate UK, Innovation Norway, US Army through Congressional Earmark funding, the Australian R&D Tax Incentive, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF).

AlgiPharma is a privately owned company registered and domiciled in Norway.

For additional information contact:

Yngvar P. Berg, CEO: yngvar.berg@algipharma.com

Arne Dessen, COO and Chairman of the Board: arne.dessen@algipharma.com