California-based biopharmaceutical company MicuRx Pharmaceuticals announced on Tuesday the publication of research into MRX-5, a novel oral oxaborole prodrug, which the company says demonstrates significant potential for the treatment of pulmonary infections caused by Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab).

Dr Gyanu Lamichhane, associate professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, led the research.

Published in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, the study assessed MRX-5 against clinical isolates of M. abscessus in a validated mouse model. MRX-5 achieved a dose-dependent decrease in lung bacterial burden, with dose of 15 mg/kg indicating efficacy comparable to the current standard-of-care.

According to MicuRx, MRX-5 demonstrated significant efficacy against a variety of M. abscessus isolates, including drug-resistant strains, providing hope for patients with limited treatment options. It achieved a reduction in lung bacterial loads comparable to established therapies at dose of 15 mg/kg and demonstrated dose-linear pharmacokinetics, indicating the potential for predictable and manageable dosing in clinical settings.

This study marks the first evaluation of MRX-5, the oral prodrug of MRX-6038, in an animal model, demonstrating MRX-5 is well tolerated and effective over extended treatment durations.