Funds from NIH will advance ALX1 as a potential treatment in cystic fibrosis and other chronic lung diseases.


RT’s Three Key Takeaways:

  1. NIH Grant to Advance ALX1 Development: Vast Therapeutics has received nearly $2 million from the NIH to support a two-year project aimed at advancing ALX1 as a potential treatment for chronic lung infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  2. Targeting a Deadly Bacterium: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a multi-drug-resistant bacterium linked to over 500,000 deaths annually, is especially dangerous for patients with chronic lung diseases like cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis due to its resistance to antibiotics and biofilm protection.
  3. Potential to Improve Patient Outcomes: ALX1 offers hope for eradicating Pseudomonas aeruginosa, addressing its contribution to progressive lung function loss, higher hospitalization rates, and increased mortality among patients with chronic respiratory conditions.

Vast Therapeutics, a clinical-stage life science company, has been awarded a nearly $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for a two-year project that aims to advance ALX1 as a treatment for patients who experience life-altering consequences from chronic lung infections caused by the deadly bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

“This award recognizes the commercialization potential of this technology, the strength of our management team, and the potential impact to patients,” says Nathan Stasko, chief executive officer of Vast Therapeutics, in a release. “Current solutions don’t completely solve the problem and lead to progressive loss of lung function over time. We believe that eradicating Pseudomonas has the potential to save lives.”

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Bacterium

Attributable to over 500,000 deaths per year around the world, this gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium typically infects people in the hospital or with weakened immune systems and is particularly problematic for patients with chronic lung diseases

[RELATED: Researchers Recommend Against Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Vaccines in CF Patients]

This organism is difficult to eradicate because of its evolutionary resistance to antibiotics and the biofilm shield it produces to further insulate it from drugs and host immune cells. 

Multi-drug-resistant strains are considered a “serious” threat by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is now well understood that, when bronchiectasis patients are colonized with Pseudomonas, for example, it leads to higher rates of hospitalization and mortality, and cough, excessive sputum, and difficulty breathing become part of everyday life.

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