MacroChem Acquires Rights to Pexiganan, a Novel Topical Anti-Infective for Treatment of Diabetic Foot Infections, Fr...( Broadens late-stage product developm...),Health

Broadens late-stage product development portfolio building on lead product

candidate EcoNail in Phase 2 trial for onychomycosis

WELLESLEY HILLS, Mass., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MacroChem Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: MACM) today announced that it has exercised the option it acquired in July, 2007 to acquire exclusive worldwide license rights for drug uses of pexiganan, a novel, small peptide anti-infective for treatment of patients with mild diabetic foot infection (DFI), from Genaera Corporation.

"We believe this is a unique opportunity for MacroChem to broaden its product portfolio with a product that has already completed two Phase 3 clinical trials and that fits our strategic focus and complements our lead product candidate, EcoNail(R) for treatment of nail fungus," stated Robert J. DeLuccia, President and CEO of MacroChem. "Both drugs would treat diseases of the foot predominantly treated by the same prescribing specialists, namely podiatrists. Both EcoNail and pexiganan are potentially of interest to a larger number of physician specialists and primary care physicians. MacroChem would ultimately be seeking a partner for marketing to those groups while retaining rights to market to selected physician specialists."

In clinical trials previously conducted by Genaera, over 1000 human subjects were exposed to pexiganan without safety concerns, including 418 patients who received pexiganan in two Phase 3 clinical trials submitted in a New Drug Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1998. The primary clinical endpoint of one of the two Phase 3 trials was judged by the FDA to have been achieved. The other Phase 3 clinical trial, which did not meet its specified endpoint, provided strong supportive data indicative of the clinical benefit of pexiganan. At that time, difficulties with Chemistry Manufacturing & Controls (CMC) and an FDA request for one additional controlled trial precluded approval. Ma
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