Regulatory News:

Pherecydes Pharma (FR0011651694 – ALPHE), a biotechnology company specializing in precision phage therapy to treat resistant and/or complicated bacterial infections, today announces that the British Journal of Pharmacology, an international peer-reviewed medical journal, has published the results of a preclinical trial undertaken with the phages of Pherecydes Pharma in animal models of pneumonia due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterium is a main cause of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP).

The article, entitled “Inhaled bacteriophage therapy in a porcine model of pneumonia caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa during mechanical ventilation”, details the results obtained with Pherecydes Pharma’s anti-P. aeruginosa phages during the preclinical study undertaken in partnership with the Research Center for Respiratory Diseases (UMR INSERM-University of Tours U1100) and partly funded by the Defense Innovation Agency (DIA). The phages were administered:

  • intranasally in a murine model;
  • by nebulization (inhalation) in a porcine model.

The published results, also presented in April at the 6th Annual Inhalation and Respiratory Drug Delivery Congress, show a major impact when phages are delivered locally or by nebulization:

  • a 100% reduction in the mortality rate in mice with a single intranasal delivery;
  • a 97% reduction in the pulmonary bacterial load in pigs following two deliveries by inhalation.

Pherecydes Pharma has already carried out a number of preclinical studies with anti-P. aeruginosa phages in respiratory tract infection models and obtained extremely positive results. The Company is planning to make these phages available to hospitals in France within the framework of an Early Access Program (EAP) in the second half of 2021 and to initiate Phase I/II clinical development in respiratory indications within the next two years.

Guy-Charles Fanneau de La Horie, Chairman of the Executive Board of Pherecydes Pharma, states: “We are very pleased with this publication in the prestigious British Journal of Pharmacology. As well as greater recognition among our peers, it also underlines the growing interest in phage therapy within the international medical community. Given the solidity of the preclinical data we have obtained to date, we are confident in the clinical potential of our anti-P. aeruginosa phages and their ability to meet the needs of patients with Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia, a pathology that is seeing a substantial increase notably as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic”.

About the British Journal of Pharmacology

The British Journal of Pharmacology (BJP) is an international peer-reviewed medical journal covering all aspects of experimental pharmacology. It publishes high-quality original research and authoritative reviews, letters to the editor on topical issues and comments on the BJP’s publications.

About Pherecydes Pharma

Founded in 2006, Pherecydes Pharma is a biotechnology company that develops treatments against resistant bacterial infections, responsible for many serious infections. The Company has developed an innovative approach, precision phage therapy, based on the use of phages, natural bacteria-killing viruses. Pherecydes Pharma is developing a portfolio of phages targeting 3 of the most resistant and dangerous bacteria, which alone account for more than two thirds of hospital-acquired resistant infections: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The concept of precision phage therapy has been successfully applied in 26 patients in the context of compassionate use, under the supervision of the French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM). Headquartered in Nantes, Pherecydes Pharma has a team of around twenty experts from the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology sector and academic research.

For more information, www.pherecydes-pharma.com

Disclaimer

This press release contains non-factual elements, including, but not limited to, certain statements regarding future results and other future events. These statements are based on the current vision and assumptions of the management of the Company. They incorporate known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could result in significant differences in results, profitability and expected events. In addition, Pherecydes Pharma, its shareholders and its affiliates, directors, officers, counsels and employees have not verified the accuracy of, and make no representations or warranties about, statistical information or forecast information contained within this news release and that originates or is derived from third party sources or industry publications; these statistical data and forecast information are only used in this press release for information purposes. Finally, this press release may be drafted in French and in English. In the event of differences between the two texts, the French version will prevail.

Pherecydes Pharma Philippe Rousseau CFO investors@pherecydes-pharma.com

NewCap Dusan Oresansky Investor Relations pherecydes@newcap.eu T.: +33 1 44 71 94 92

NewCap Nicolas Merigeau Media Relations pherecydes@newcap.eu T.: +33 1 44 71 94 98