The United States Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR) likes Recce Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:RCE, OTC:RECEF)'s RECCE® 327 Gel (R327G) so much that a second agreement has been signed with the company, this time entering a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to evaluate R327G as a treatment for infected burn wounds.
Under the agreement, USAISR will assess R327G in its validated Walker-Mason rat model of burn wound infection, which was developed to mimic battlefield injuries and systemic responses to burns and subsequent infections.
The study is designed to determine whether R327G can significantly reduce bacterial burden (bioburden) in infected burn wounds, including against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, two pathogens commonly associated with burn wound infections.
Recce said burn wound infections remain a leading cause of mortality in burn patients and are becoming increasingly difficult to treat as antimicrobial resistance rises, highlighting the need for new broad-spectrum anti-infectives that can act rapidly without contributing to resistance.
The company is developing R327G as an amorphous gel wound dressing intended for practical frontline deployment in military field kits, with potential applications extending to hospital, clinical, and post-operative settings.
“We are proud to strengthen our relationship with the United States Army through the establishment of a CRADA with the USAISR," RCE CEO James Graham said. "This new agreement, together with our existing collaboration with the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, and our recent CDMRP grant award, demonstrates the accelerating US Government interest in R327 across multiple operational and therapeutic applications. We are thankful for the ability of R327G to be delivered as a hydrogel dressing, positions as a truly unique solution for combat wound care and broader military and civilian healthcare needs continues to show promise with the US Government.”
Builds on prior Army collaboration
The USAISR CRADA builds on its earlier CRADA with the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), reinforcing the company’s collaboration with the US Department of War, previously known as the Department of Defense, in the development of next-generation anti-infectives.
R327G is a topical formulation of Recce’s lead compound, RECCE® 327, which the company is developing for rapid, broad-spectrum activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including multidrug-resistant strains.
The company’s broader pipeline also includes RECCE® 435, an orally administered therapy for bacterial infections, and RECCE® 529, which is being developed for viral infections.