POSITIVE DATA FROM IN VIVO STUDY SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF OCM™ AGAINST METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS (MRSA) AND PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA (PA) IN PORCINE WOUND MODEL

- OCM™ was significantly better than comparators at halting proliferation of MRSA and PA –
- OCM™ recorded the lowest bacterial counts of any treatment arm –
- OCM™ showed significantly faster formation of new tissue in MRSA-infected wounds than any other treatment –

SARASOTA, Fla., May 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Omeza^®, a regenerative skincare company that develops marine-based therapies for the treatment of chronic wounds, recently presented in vivo data showing that OCM™ wound matrix alone significantly reduced methicillin-resistant staphylococcus (MRSA) aureus and pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) bacterial counts and accelerated the formation of new tissue in MRSA-infected wounds, outperforming a comparator treatment and a control group.

Results of the in vivo data conducted in a porcine model—the most similar to human skin in both morphological structure and immunohistochemical properties¹—were shown as a poster during the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC) conference May 14 – 18.

"Stalled wounds affect more than 6.5 million Americans, with devastating consequences for patients' physical, social, and mental health," said Suzanne Bakewell, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Omeza^®. "Prolonged wound healing times significantly increase the risk of severe infection and resulting amputations, and thus they are a major challenge for healthcare professionals who treat them."

"Limiting bacterial growth is a critical therapeutic aim in treating nonhealing wounds, but complicating factors often prevent success. OCM™ does not confer these complications, such as antibiotic resistance, cytotoxicity, or viral transmission, and we're excited by OCM™'s potential as a novel option for the management of stalled wounds."

The current study was designed to evaluate the antimicrobial and wound-healing effects of OCM™ against a comparator and a control in a porcine wound model. OCM™ is a novel, propriety, drug/device comprising cold-water fish peptides and other pharmaceutical-grade ingredients that create an absorbable matrix which integrates into the wound bed to support the synthesis of new tissue.

Study Design

In the study, wounds were inoculated with MRSA and PA, then treated with either OCM™ alone and a silver dressing (positive control) or debridement only (negative control). Wounds in all groups were debrided, treated (except negative control), covered with polyurethane dressings, and retreated on days 4 and 8. All wounds were assessed on Days 4, 8, and 12 for bacterial counts, among other measures.

Study Results

Results of the study showed the following:

• OCM™ alone was significantly better at halting proliferation in both MRSA USA300- and PA27312-infected wounds compared with baseline before and after debridement and compared with all other treatment groups.
• Among all treatments at all time points, the lowest MRSA USA300 and PA27312 counts occurred on Day 12 in wounds treated with OCM™ alone.
• OCM™ showed significantly faster formation of new tissue in MRSA USA300-infected wounds compared to the silver dressing and the control group.

"These in vivo data constitute an important finding that may have significant clinical implications for the management of many wound etiologies, such as burns, diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, and pressure ulcers," said Dr. Windy Cole, DPM, adjunct professor and Director of Wound Care Research at Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine.

"In recent years, researchers have amassed compelling evidence of multiple pathways through which marine-derived ingredients exert their effects on the immune system and wound healing at both the cellular and molecular levels, including their ability to reduce inflammation and increase metabolic activity of fibroblasts and keratinocytes^2-5, which are critical for protecting against microbial invasion," said Dr. Cole.

"The in vivo study of OCM™ supports these foundational studies and demonstrates that a specific therapy—OCM™—confers these antimicrobial benefits in porcine wounds, and the potential is likely in human wounds, as well," Dr. Cole said.

Omeza^® is currently evaluating its platform in three clinical studies among patients with diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, and chronic wounds of multiple wound etiologies in a real-world setting. Among the endpoints are safety; change in percent area reduction; ability to move wounds from chronicity to a healing trajectory in a 4-week period; and time to complete wound closure.

References:

¹https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9547536/#:~:text=Porcine%20skin%20is%20often%20used,properties%20(15%E2%80%9318)
²https://web.archive.org/web/20220425210925id_/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/exd.14506
³https://web.archive.org/web/20220425210925id_/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/exd.14506
⁴https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6117694/#B98-marinedrugs-16-00256
⁵https://www.hmpgloballearningnetwork.com/site/wmp/article/nutrition-411-omega-3-fatty-acids-and-wound-healing 

About OMEZA

Omeza^® is a commercial-stage regenerative skin and wound-care company that develops marine-based products comprising containing cold water fish peptides and other pharmaceutical-grade components designed to reduce inflammation, increase tissue proliferation, and support skin remodeling in adults with a range of chronic, non-healing wounds. Founded in 2014, the company currently markets OCM™ for the treatment of nonhealing wounds. OCM™ is also being evaluated in real-world settings and in multiple clinical trials to compare the effects of OCM™ versus standard of care on wound healing, pain reduction, quality of life, and other secondary endpoints in patients with diabetic ulcers, chronic venous leg ulcers, and multiple other wound types. The company is headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, and has manufacturing facilities located in Florida.

Media Contacts:
Bernadette Cupit
[email protected]
908-334-4554

SOURCE Omeza LLC