Innocoll, Inc., a privately-held
biopharmaceutical company, announced that the second of three planned phase
2 clinical trials sponsored by its wholly owned subsidiary, Innocoll
Technologies Ltd, to investigate CollaRx(R) GENTAMICIN TOPICAL for the
treatment and prevention of infected diabetic foot ulcers, has commenced
dosing. CollaRx GENTAMICIN TOPICAL is a biodegradable and fully resorbable
Gentamicin-Collagen Sponge formulated and manufactured using Innocoll's
proprietary collagen-based drug delivery technology, CollaRx. Upon
application to a wound, the product releases gentamicin, a broad-spectrum,
aminoglycoside antibiotic (having a concentration-dependent mechanism of
action), for local action. This achieves a high concentration of drug at
the target tissue, while maintaining low systemic levels well below the
toxicity threshold.
CollaRx GENTAMICIN TOPICAL is the clinical development of Innocoll's
Gentamicin-Collagen Sponge as a therapy for the treatment and prevention of
infected chronic wounds. The product is already approved and marketed in
Europe and other non-US territories as a surgical implant for the treatment
of localized, deep tissue infections and the prevention of surgical site
infections in both hard and soft tissues. The development of the topical
indication is based upon a series of published clinical case studies and
anecdotal reports from clinicians where the marketed implant product was
applied topically to chronic wounds of various etiologies. These data
support its effectiveness for such clinical applications, particularly in
the treatment of infected diabetic foot ulcers.
Chronic ulcerations are often colonized or contaminated with bacterial
pathogens that can prevent ulcers from healing. A high proportion of such
wounds becomes clinically infected and requires treatment with antibiotics.
Orally and parenterally administered antibiotics are often associated with
systemic side effects and widespread use can lead to development of
bacterial resistance. Furthermore, diabetic ulcers are often associated
with vascular disease and restricted peripheral blood flow (ischemia),
which may render systemically acting antibiotics less effective. Infection
can also spread to the bone (osteomyelitis), which is less well
vascularized than soft tissue. Currently, there are no topically applied
antibiotics marketed in the US that are specifically indicated for the
treatment of infected diabetic foot ulcers and recent market research
independently performed by L.E.K. Consulting forecast peak annual US sales
revenues for CollaRx GENTAMICIN TOPICAL approaching US$270 million, when
limiting the sales projections to diabetic foot indications only.
CollaRx GENTAMICIN TOPICAL is currently under investigation for the
treatment and prevention of diabetic foot infections of varying severity in
a series of multi-centred phase 2 clinical trials. The first of these
trials, which commenced in late 2007, is investigating the product as a
mono-antibiotic therapy for the treatment of mildly infected diabetic
ulcers where the safety and efficacy of CollaRx GENTAMICIN TOPICAL will be
compared to an orally administered antibiotic (the current standard of
care). This second phase 2 trial will investigate the product as an adjunct
to systemic antibiotic therapy for treating moderately infected ulcers, as
defined according to Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA)
guidelines. The third phase 2 trial, planned to commence later this month,
will investigate the product for the prevention of infection in diabetic
foot ulcers.
Dr. Michael Myers, Innocoll's President and CEO commented, "Our
Gentamicin-Collagen sponge is already used successfully in Europe and
elsewhere as an adjunct for the treatment diabetic foot infections, where
physicians have reported it can help to salvage limbs that may otherwise be
amputated. Since there are currently no topical antibiotics on the market
for infected diabetic foot ulcers, we view this phase 2 program as a
significant step towards treating and potentially preventing this highly
serious and widely prevalent complication of diabetes."
About Infected Diabetic Foot Ulcers
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the
estimated incidence of diabetes in the US exceeds 1.5 million new cases
annually, with an overall prevalence of 20.8 million people, or 7% of the
US population. By 2030, the International Diabetes Federation predicts that
the Global prevalence of diabetes will almost double from 193 million
people (estimated in 2003) to 366 million.
An estimated 15% of patients with diabetes will develop a lower
extremity ulcer during the course of their disease. According to a large
prospective study, approximately 7% of diabetic patients with foot ulcers
will require an amputation. Diabetic foot is the most common cause of
nontraumatic lower extremity amputations in the US and Europe, with an
average of 82,000 amputations per year in the US costing an estimated $1.6
billion annually. The estimated cost of foot ulcer care in the US ranges
from $4,595 per ulcer episode to more than $28,000, for the 2 years post
diagnosis. The total annual cost of foot ulcer care in the US has been
estimated to be as high as $5 billion.
About Innocoll, Inc.
Innocoll is a privately held, biopharmaceutical company focused on
biodegradable surgical implants and topically applied healthcare products.
It develops and manufactures a range of pharmaceutical products and medical
devices using its proprietary collagen-based technologies, CollaRx(R) and
Liquicoll(R). Innocoll 's lead product, Gentamicin Surgical Implant for the
treatment and prevention of surgical site infections, is approved for sale
in 49 countries in Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Africa and Asia and
is marketed under the following trade names; COLLATAMP(R) G, COLLATAMP(R)
EG, SULMYCIN(R) IMPLANT, GARAMYCIN(R) SCHWAMM, DURACOL(R), DURACOLL(R),
GENTACOL(R), GENTACOLL(R), GARACOL(R), GARACOLL(R), and CRONOCOL(R). In
2005, Innocoll acquired the worldwide marketing rights for this product
from Essex Chemis AG, an affiliated company of Schering-Plough Corporation
(NYSE: SGP) and in August 2007 sold its marketing rights, with the
exception of the US, to EUSA Pharma. Gentamicin Surgical Implant is
currently in phase 3 development in the US for the prevention of surgical
site infections. Other late stage pharmaceutical products in Innocoll's
development pipeline include CollaRx Gentamicin Topical for the treatment
and prevention of infected diabetic foot ulcers and CollaRx Bupivacaine
Implant for the management of post-operative pain, both of which are
currently in Phase 2 development. For more information, please visit
innocollinc.
Innocoll Inc
innocollinc