The Demise of KB001 (Part 1): An Anti-Pseudomonas Antibody Hits the Dust (Instead of Paydirt)

In January this year, Kalobios informed investors that KB001-A had failed to meet efficacy criteria in a Phase 2 trial of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.  In this well-controlled well-executed placebo-controlled trial of182 patients, the primary endpoint and just about every other efficacy endpoint of interest was missed.  Neither did KB001 Continue reading The Demise of KB001 (Part 1): An Anti-Pseudomonas Antibody Hits the Dust (Instead of Paydirt)

Does The Taxpayer Get Rewarded For Funding Such Studies?

Cabotegravir (S-1265744) is an integrase inhibitor similar to dolutegravir.  When formulated as a long-acting drug using crystalline nanoparticle technology it is called GSK’744 LAP.  When injected intramuscularly, ‘744 LAP it has a half-life of >1 month which makes it ideally suited for PrEP of HIV for high-risk patients who nowadays are Continue reading Does The Taxpayer Get Rewarded For Funding Such Studies?

Streptomyces – The Industrious Antibiotic Producer

Like other actinomycetes, the Streptomyces group of microbes straddles the somewhat artificial boundary between bacteria and fungi. Growth on culture plates looks ‘fungal’ and the organism produces spores and germtubes that look like mycelia.  Nonetheless these soil organisms are bacteria and of great interest to microbiologists as the producers of many antibiotics Continue reading Streptomyces – The Industrious Antibiotic Producer