Ceragenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a biopharmaceutical and medical device company focused on infectious disease and dermatology, has entered into a license agreement with FirstPoint Biotech, Inc (FPBT), a privately held biopharmaceutical company. The collaboration aims at the development of CSA-54 and other members of the Ceragenin family of preclinical compounds for use as potential systemic and topical therapies in the treatment and prevention of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases.

The agreement covers the potential use of these compounds as both drugs and incorporation into medical devices such as condoms, sprays or gels.

Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, FPBT will have the responsibility to undertake the clinical development and commercialisation of these compounds within these fields of use and Ceragenix will provide ongoing consultation. The agreement provides for payment of milestone payments and royalties. Additional financial terms were not disclosed.

As previously reported by the company, researchers from Vanderbilt University have found that CSA-54 potently inhibits HIV infection of primary human CD4+ T cells, the virus's in vivo targets, and was not toxic to epithelial cells at concentrations significantly higher than those required to kill the virus. In addition, CSA-54 killed a wide range of HIV isolates, and completely blocked genetically engineered HIV that enters the cells independent of the cell surface receptor the virus normally uses.

"We are very pleased that development of CSA-54 as a potential therapy for the treatment and/or prevention of HIV will be continued," said Steven Porter, chairman and chief executive officer. "Given our focus on antimicrobial coatings for medical devices, this was not an application that we could have pursued on our own."

Roslynne Flacks, executive chairman of FPBT said, "Human immunodeficiency virus ("HIV") infection in humans is now pandemic. According to current estimates, HIV is set to infect 90 million people in Africa alone, resulting in a minimum estimate of 18 million orphans. In the face of such a virulent enemy and the recent failure of vaccine trials, it is imperative that new approaches for preventing and treating this horrific disease be actively pursued. We believe that CSA-54 and other Ceragenin compounds may play a vital role in this effort and we plan to use the resources of a leading contract research organization with experience in HIV drug development to accelerate the development of these promising compounds".