Riptide Addresses JPC-2 Military Expert Review Committee

May 30, 2018

BETHESDA, MD. – On May 29, Riptide Principal Scientist Dr. L. Edward Clemens gave an invited presentation to the JPC-2 Military Infections Disease Research Program (MIDRP) Expert Review Committee, a part of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). The title of the presentation was: “Evaluation of Novel Antimicrobial Peptides as Topical Anti-Infectives with Broad Spectrum Activity against Combat-Related Bacterial and Fungal Wound Infection.”

The presentation was one of nine invited by the JPC-2 MIDRP to brief military experts on the most promising programs supported by CDMRP. Dr. Clemens reviewed the results of a comprehensive screening program of engineered peptides (“dAMPs” or designed Antimicrobial Peptides) that resulted in the selection of three peptides for in vivo evaluation.

The three candidates showed bacterial inhibition scores superior to those of conventional antibiotics Tobramycin and Vancomycin vs. Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, and pathogenic fungi, including resistant strains. Activity was particularly striking vs. pathogens contained in biofilm, a milieu which poses a challenge to the penetration and efficacy of many small-molecule antibiotics. In addition, serial resistance assays showed minimal development of resistance to the engineered peptides after as many as thirty passages, whereas bacteria developed resistance to conventional antibiotics (e.g. Clindamycin and Gentamicin) after only a few passages.

When dAMPs were applied to porcine burn wounds with a polymicrobial infection in biofilm, they were able to eliminate infections, significantly reduce the bacterial load, and accelerate wound healing.

Dr. Clemens commented, “Ballistic wound infection has become the greatest threat to combat casualties who survive the immediate trauma of a blast injury. Multidrug resistance and biofilm generation further complicate treatment. These results demonstrate that engineered peptide therapeutics can become an important part of the military medical armamentarium.”

Following the JPC-2 meeting and favorable comments by expert participants, Riptide was also informed that the related abstract MHSRS-18-1401, was accepted as an invited presentation at the upcoming 2018 Military Health System Research Symposium (MHSRS). This abstract is entitled “Minimizing the Impact of Wound Infections Following Blast-Related Injuries: Topically Applied Designed Antimicrobial Peptides Eradicate Polymicrobial Infections in a Porcine Combat Wound Infection Model.”

The abstract will be delivered at a poster presentation during the August 20 – 23 MHSRS symposium in Kissimmee, Florida.

Riptide Bioscience, Inc., with laboratories in Vallejo, California, maintains an intensive program of research into peptide-based therapeutics. Contact: info@riptidebio.com