ContraFect Announces Publication on Exebacase and CF-296 Demonstrating Potent In Vivo Antimicrobial Activity in Implant-Associated MRSA Osteomyelitis

YONKERS, N.Y., Aug. 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ContraFect Corporation (Nasdaq: CFRX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of direct lytic agents (DLAs), including lysins and amurin peptides, as new medical modalities for the treatment of life-threatening, antibiotic-resistant infections, announces today the publication of a manuscript in the Journal of Bone and Joint Infection, a leading peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the study of osteo-articular and soft-tissue infections. This manuscript presents the results from a study evaluating the activity of exebacase or the CF-296 lysin in a preclinical rabbit model of implant-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) osteomyelitis. These results demonstrate that the local administration of either lysin to the affected bone, in addition to systemic antibiotics, reduced MRSA counts in the bone and on implants compared with control animals. Notably, the administration of exebacase alone, without systemic antibiotics, resulted in significant reductions in MRSA counts compared to controls. Furthermore, either exebacase or CF-296, used in addition to systemically administered daptomycin, also resulted in significant reduction in MRSA counts on infected implants compared to daptomycin alone.

“This new research data demonstrate the potential to prosecute exebacase in a new clinical study of patients with chronic or recurrent prosthetic joint infections caused by MRSA or Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis), which has also been evaluated across fifteen compassionate use cases in patients at Hôspices Civils de Lyon in Lyon, France,” stated Roger J. Pomerantz, M.D., ContraFect’s President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman. “We remain resolute in the development of these new modality treatments for patients suffering from osteomyelitis and prosthetic joint infections, which are particularly difficult-to-treat with current standard of care joint removal and reimplantation, which may lead to further disability, and where novel treatments are greatly needed,” added Dr. Pomerantz.

The company continues to evaluate exebacase for potential clinical development targeting S. aureus and S. epidermidis prosthetic joint infections and to consider CF-296 for further preclinical studies and potential future clinical development.

About ContraFect:

ContraFect is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of DLAs, including lysins and amurin peptides, as new medical modalities for the treatment of life-threatening, antibiotic-resistant infections. An estimated 700,000 deaths worldwide each year are attributed to antimicrobial-resistant infections. We intend to address life threatening infections using our therapeutic product candidates from our platform of DLAs, which include lysins and amurin peptides. Lysins are a new class of DLAs which are recombinantly produced antimicrobial proteins with a novel mechanism of action associated with the rapid killing of target bacteria, eradication of biofilms and synergy with conventional antibiotics. Amurin peptides are a novel class of DLAs which exhibit broad-spectrum activity against a wide range of antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative pathogens, including P. aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Enterobacter species. We believe that the properties of our lysins and amurin peptides will make them suitable for targeting antibiotic-resistant organisms, such as MRSA and P. aeruginosa, which can cause serious infections such as bacteremia, pneumonia and osteomyelitis. We have completed a Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of Staph aureus bacteremia, including endocarditis, with our lead lysin candidate, exebacase, which is the first lysin to enter clinical studies in the U.S. Exebacase was granted Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA for the treatment of MRSA bloodstream infections, including right-sided endocarditis, when used in addition to SOC anti-staphylococcal antibiotics.

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Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains, and our officers and representatives may make from time to time, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “projects,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “intends,” “plans,” “potential,” “promise” or similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements in this release include, without limitation, statements regarding the manuscript, its publication and results of the study, statements made by Dr. Pomerantz, ContraFect’s ability to discover and develop DLAs as new medical modalities for the treatment of life-threatening, antibiotic-resistant infections, the development of exebacase or CF-296, whether ContraFect will address life-threatening infections using therapeutic candidates from its DLA platform, whether lysins are a new class of DLAs which are recombinantly produced, antimicrobial proteins with a novel mechanism of action associated with the rapid killing of target bacteria, eradication of biofilms and synergy with conventional antibiotics, whether amurins are a novel class of DLAs which exhibit broad-spectrum activity against a wide range of antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative pathogens, and whether the properties of ContraFect’s lysins and amurins will make them suitable for targeting antibiotic-resistant organisms, such as MRSA and P. aeruginosa. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts, nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based on ContraFect’s current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of its business, future plans, strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond ContraFect’s control, including the occurrence of any adverse events related to the discovery, development and commercialization of ContraFect’s product candidates such as unfavorable clinical trial results, insufficient supplies of drug products, the lack of regulatory approval, or the unsuccessful attainment or maintenance of patent protection and other important risks detailed under the caption “Risk Factors” in ContraFect’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2022 and its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by ContraFect in this press release is based only on information currently available and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Except as required by applicable law, ContraFect expressly disclaims any obligations to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Investor Relations Contacts:

Michael Messinger
ContraFect Corporation
Email: mmessinger@contrafect.com