Infections and mortality caused by azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus are steeply increasing in several countries. To illustrate this, no effective cure against certain types of Aspergillus fumigatus, such as TR 34 / L98H og TR 46 / Y121F / T289A is available. The lack of treatment options gives cause for great concern and underlines the need for new effective drugs development with a different mechanism of action than that known from the Azoles.

The research-team behind the PulmoPharma technology succeeded during 2008-11 to identifying a molecule complex consisting of two or more compounds, a synergistic effect of which can eliminate fungi at very low concentrations (in ppm) with optimal antifugcidial impact due to its synergistic mechanism, at high speed, and with low toxic impact.

The use of Puldium™, a specific multi-functional/component drug complex, remarkably reduces the risk of the development of resistance against microorganisms, because one or more drugs suppress any partially resistant microorganism e.g. Aspergillus fungi.

Proof-of-concept in vitro studies of the drug have demonstrated a significant effect on the treatment of aspergillosis and other lung diseases caused by fungal infections. The compound seems to have a high activity against azole susceptible as well as azole resistant strains.

The new Puldium™ inhalation-based drug will effectively eliminate fungi, even treatment-resistant pathogenic fungi like invasive pulmonal aspergillosis, in the lungs of patients with chronic obstructive lung disorder or reduced immunocompetence caused by cancer treatment or surgery, or other diseases caused by immune defects.

Pre-clinical trials are underway at the Central Animal Laboratory of the University of Turku, Finland. The results are very promising so far.