First-in-class life-saving drugs

Results in severe pneumonia patients ranked “a medical breakthrough”: The Lancet Infectious Diseases
(Laterre et al. 2019; Pletz et al. 2019)

First-in-class life-saving drugs

Results in severe pneumonia patients ranked “a medical breakthrough”.
The Lancet Infectious Diseases (Laterre et al. 2019; Pletz et al. 2019)

CAL02

The company is currently running two parallel programs with its lead product CAL02
designed to fight severe bacterial and viral infections.

Bacterial infections

Restoring health in critically ill patients suffering
of severe bacterial pneumonia

The unique therapeutic approach of CAL02 consists in using liposomes engineered to neutralize virulence effectors playing a critical role in the development of organ failure and fatal complications in severe infections.

CAL02 is a phase 2-stage drug that has successfully been tested in ICU patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia.

Viral infections

Decoy drug to fight enveloped viruses,
such as COVID-19

By acting as a decoy to which the viral envelope preferentially binds instead of entering host cells, CAL02 sucks away the virus, preventing it from attacking host cells and from multiplying.

CAL02 targets the fundamental first step of COVID-19 infection: viral entry into host cells. The drug is ready for clinical trial in COVID-19 patients.

Selected publications

Critical Parameters for the Development of Novel Therapies for Severe and Resistant Infections—A Case Study on CAL02, a Non-Traditional Broad-Spectrum Anti-Virulence Drug. Azeredo da Silbeira S and Shorr A. Antibiotics, 2020; 9, 94.

CAL02, a novel antitoxin liposomal agent, in severe pneumococcal pneumonia: a first-in-human, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised trial. Laterre PF et al. Lancet Infect Dis. 2019; 19(6):620-630.

One step closer to precision medicine for infectious diseases. Pletz MW et al. Lancet Infect Dis. 2019; 19(6):564-565.

CAL02 liposomes and other anti-toxins: A new generation of anti-infectives. Azeredo da Silveira S and Perez A. Clin Pulm Med 2018; 25(3):84-88.

Liposomal therapy attenuates dermonecrosis induced by community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphilococcus aureus by targeting a-type phenol soluble modulins and a-hemolysin. Wolfmeier H et al. EbioMedicine 2018; 33:211-217.

Clinical Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates induce differing CXCL8 responses from human nasopharyngeal epithelial cells which are reduced by liposomes. Baumgartner D et al. BMC Microbiology, 2016; 16:154.

Precision medicine for the treatment of severe pneumonia in intensive care. Rello J and Perez A. Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine 2016; 10(3):297-316.

Liposomes as novel anti-infectives targeting bacterial virulence factors Azeredo da Silveira S and Perez A. Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy 2015; 13(5):531-3.

Engineered liposomes sequester bacterial exotoxins and protect from severe invasive infections in mice. Henry BD et al. Nature Biotechnology 2015; 33(1):81-8.