BioDiem expanding indications for BDM-I

BioDiem (ASX:BDM) is extending a research agreement with US-based NIAID to cover the evaluation of antimicrobial BDM-I in tuberculosis and serious fungal infections.

BioDiem (ASX:BDM) has commenced research evaluating the effectiveness its antimicrobial compound BDM-I in tuberculosis and a range of fungal infections.

The company announced it has extended a non-clinical evaluation agreement with the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the US National Institutes for Health, covering the research.

NIAID-funded contractors have now completed an in vitro screen to test BDM-I against a range of nearly 70 strains of opportunistic or hospital acquired infectious fungi.

BioDiem is also planning to use NIAID’s Animal Models of Infectious Disease Service to evaluate BDMI as a prospective tuberculosis treatment.

BioDiem CEO Julie Phillips said the company is eagerly awaiting the results of the further research to be conducted under NIAID’s preclinical services program.

“The targeted fungi are a major cause of lung- and bloodstream-based illnesses and pose a particular risk to patients who are immune-suppressed, while TB poses a significantly increasing problem worldwide for the medical community via the emergence of extensively drug-resistant strains,” she said.

BDM-I is under preclinical development for the treatment of serious human infections. Potential initial targets include bacterial infections, malaria, antibody-resistant infections and common STDs. BioDiem is planning an outlicensing strategy for the compound.

In November, BioDiem forged a research partnership with Griffith University, which will explore improving the solubility and efficacy of BDM-I.

BioDiem (ASX:BDM) shares dropped marginally from 4.4c prior to the announcement to sit level on Monday at 4c as of around 3.30 pm.