Focus On Pidotimod; A New Biological Response Modifier

Pidotimod, a biological response modifier developed by Poli Industria Chimica of Italy, has shown promising activity in patients suffering from recurrent respiratory and urinary infections, reducing both the time to recovery and antibiotic usage compared to placebo, as well as the severity of relapses. A number of studies of the drug are published in the December issue of the German journal Arzneimittel Forschung.

Federico Mailland of PIC's research center in Milan notes that pidotimod was discovered during a screening program aimed at finding immunostimulatory molecules. It is a peptide with high oral bioavailability which appears to be active against several components of the immune response, he said. In vitro and in vivo laboratory studies show that treatment with pidotimod causes a significant induction of macrophage and neutrophil polymorphonuclear activity, which is characterized by an increase in spontaneous chemotaxis, superoxide anion production and phagocytosis.

Furthermore, pidotimod can activate other immunological effectors, like natural killer cells, which have been shown, in combination with macrophages, to form an integral part of the defence against a range of diseases, including those caused by bacteria, viral infections or neoplasia. Mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation is also increased in response to pidotimod, and the agent restores balance between CD4 and CD8 cells. Dr Mailland said that experimental evidence suggests that pidotimod exerts its effects on lymphocyte proliferation by stimulating the production of cytokines such as interleukin-2 and interferon gamma.