IMMTECH LAUNCHES TRIAL OF PAFURAMIDINE

Immtech has started a Phase III trial of pafuramidine to treat Pneumocystis pneumonia in HIV/AIDS patients. Pafuramidine is intended to be a first-line treatment that requires a shorter course and fewer tablets than the current standard therapy, TMP-SMX.

Approximately 20 percent to 50 percent of patients with Pneumocystis pneumonia, or PCP, have such significant adverse reactions to TMP-SMX they are switched to other medications that may be less effective, Immtech said. In addition, PCP resistance to TMP-SMX has been detected in some instances.

The trial protocol calls for the enrollment of 270 HIV/AIDS patients with PCP in the U.S. and Latin America. Two-thirds of patients will be given pafuramidine twice daily for 14 days and the remaining third will receive TMP-SMX three times daily for 21 days.