Research & Development Program
WWe are developing a family of novel anti-infective non-antibiotic products for treatment and prevention of Bacterial Vaginosis.
Bacterial Vaginosis is a disturbance of delicate balance of multiple bacteria species normally present on vaginal mucosa. The treatment with antibiotics that are currently approved by FDA for treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis often does not create adequate conditions for restoring this balance, which is reflected in the exceptionally high recurrence rate of Bacterial Vaginosis. In addition to significant inconvenience, cost and stress associated with multiple attempts to eradicate Bacterial Vaginosis, recurrent treatments with antibiotics may lead to increased antibacterial resistance to antibiotics, a very serious problem with broad healthcare implications. In pregnancy Bacterial Vaginosis is a very common condition and research data suggests that the Bacterial Vaginosis increases the risk of preterm birth, which that is when babies are born prematurely and in bad health. The prophylactic treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis in pregnancy remains controversial with currently approved drugs, as physicians are both not satisfied with efficacy of available antibiotic treatments and concerned with systemic side effects of antibiotics both for mother and fetus.
In our research and development programs we are evaluating several non-antibiotic compounds for their ability to selectively affect pathogens associated with Bacterial Vaginosis without simultaneous detrimental effect on Lactobacillus spp. In complex microbial environment in vagina, a desired antimicrobial effect could be achieved not only via the direct antimicrobial effect on specific pathogen species, but also indirectly, via changes in complex characteristics of vaginal fluid. The objective of our program is to develop a vaginally administered formulation capable in exercising both direct and indirect antimicrobial activities. This unique combination of functional characteristics will result in a drug capable of achieving a sustained treatment effect with lesser episodes of recurrence of Bacterial Vaginosis.
