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Summit (AIM: SUMM), a drug discovery and development company advancing therapies for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and C. difficile infections (CDI), has announced that it has achieved a clinical research milestone in the development of its novel CDI antibiotic SMT 19969 triggering a £740,000 payment under the Company’s existing Translation Award from the Wellcome Trust.
The milestone was achieved after SMT 19969 successfully completed a Phase 1 clinical trial in healthy volunteers. The funding will support the on-going clinical development of the programme.
“The successful outcome from our Phase 1 clinical trial demonstrated the potential of SMT 19969 to become an effective treatment for this life-threatening infectious disease,” commented Glyn Edwards, Chief Executive Officer of Summit. “SMT 19969 was shown to be safe and well tolerated in the trial while demonstrating encouraging evidence that this narrow spectrum antibiotic could target C. difficile bacteria without undermining the natural balance of gut flora, an important differentiation from current treatments. With the continuing support of the Wellcome Trust, we look forward to progressing into Phase 2 patient clinical trials.”
Current development activities are focussed on preparing SMT 19969 to enter Phase 2 clinical proof of concept trials in patients with CDI. This work includes the manufacture of the final dose form of SMT 19969 and finalising the design of the patient trial with the regulators and company clinical advisors. It is anticipated that a Phase 2 clinical trial will commence in H1 2014.
SMT 19969 is novel small molecule antibiotic that is being developed to treat initial CDI and prevent recurrent disease. The development of SMT 19969 is being substantially supported by the Wellcome Trust through a Translation Award worth up to £4.0 million awarded in 2012, which will take the project through to completion of Phase 2 clinical trials.
