ActivBiotics updates product pipeline at ICAAC

Massachusettes, USA-based ActivBiotics' lead product candidate rifalazil, and several of its development pipeline rifamycin-based compounds, were the subject of 11 presentations at the Interscience Conference on Anitmicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, in Washington DC in December 2005.

Steve Gilman, the company's president, revealed the development strategy for its range of rifamycin agents in an invitation-only poster session entitled "All New Antimicrobial Agents." During the session, Dr Gilman reported that the firm intended to continue the development of the compounds, particularly ABI-0043, as treatments for infections caused by medically-important pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Dr Gilman also discussed the group's scientific and strategic rationale to investigate the use of rifalazil as a potent anti-chlamydial agent for the treatment of intermittent claudication in patients with peripheral arterial disease. The full text of each poster is available on ActivBiotics' website: www.activebiotics.com.