Boston Herald AMR op-ed

Co-founder, president and CEO of Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Christopher J. Burns PhD, and co-founder and CEO of Spero Therapeutics, Ankit Mahadevia, have joined forces to publish a powerful opinion editorial in the Boston Herald.

Their article, ‘Pasteur Act can reinvigorate broken antibiotic market’, investigates how this legislation can work to prevent over-subscribing of antibiotics and incentivised development of novel antibiotics, during an escalating global public health crisis caused by drug-resistant infection.

A brief excerpt:

‘Researchers warn that without new antibiotics, drug-resistant infections could kill 10 million people annually by 2050. Currently, they kill 700,000 per year, worldwide, and contribute to an additional $4.6 billion in increased health care costs per year in the United States alone.’

It highlights the importance of continued R&D in this space – something Botanix is proud to be prioritising with our BTX 1801 development program.

Read the full article here.

Quarterly Activities Report and 4C Quarterly Cash Flow Report

Botanix (ASX:BOT) has today published its Quarterly Activities Report and 4C Quarterly Cash Flow Report, for the period ended 30 June 2021.

Key highlights from this period include:

  • Successful launch of the BTX 1702 rosacea clinical study, currently under COVID related restrictions, with sites initiated in Australia and New Zealand start up pending
  • Encouraging results achieved from the BTX 1204A pilot study of canines with atopic dermatitis, with preparation underway to commence a proof of concept canine study 
  • Preparation for the BTX 1801 Phase 2b clinical study targeting the nasal decolonisation of Staph aureus in haemodialysis patients to prevent bloodstream infections is well progressed and expected to initiate in 4Q CY2021
  • Support for Botanix’s research on the antimicrobial potential of cannabidiol published by a leading South American academic group in BioRxiv
  • Actively reviewing a number of opportunities to leverage the unique properties of the Permetrex™ technology platform to deliver new dermatology drugs

Botanix remains in a strong financial position, holding a cash balance of A$21.56m at 30 June 2021, which gives us certainty and flexibility to maintain momentum with our core programs.

Read today’s ASX release here.

ABC News | Mask rules leads to rise in skin conditions

Skin specialists have reported an increase in people seeking treatment for skin conditions as a result of mandatory mask wearing in Australia due to COVID-19. 

Dubbed  ‘maskne’, the condition includes acne, rosacea flare ups, perioral dermatitis, and folliculitis, all of which are aggravated by substances such as oil, bacteria, and dead skin cells becoming trapped under the mask.

Read the full article on the ABC website here.