Three Patients with Invasive Fusarium Infection in Matinas BioPharma’s Oral MAT2203 Compassionate/Expanded Use Access Program Achieve Complete Clinical Response

BEDMINSTER, N.J., March 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Matinas BioPharma Holdings, Inc. (NYSE American: MTNB), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on delivering groundbreaking therapies using its lipid nanocrystal (LNC) platform delivery technology, announces complete clinical response in three patients with serious invasive fusarium infection following treatment with MAT2203, Matinas’ oral formulation of the potent antifungal amphotericin B. All three patients were enrolled in the Company’s Compassionate/Expanded Use Access Program and were treated by Marisa H. Miceli, MD, Professor of Medicine, Specializing in Fungal Infections and Transplant Diseases, Division of Infectious Diseases, Internal Medicine, at the University of Michigan.

“Invasive fusarium infection is often difficult to treat as clinically relevant fusarium species are resistant to almost all currently used antifungals including azoles and echinocandins, making it highly gratifying to announce the complete clinical response following treatment with oral MAT2203 for these seriously ill patients with limited treatment options,” said Theresa Matkovits, PhD, Chief Development Officer of Matinas. “While we don’t have the exact isolates and corresponding minimum inhibitory concentrations for all these patients, we do know that effective treatment of fusarium generally requires higher concentrations of amphotericin B than invasive aspergillosis, for example. The successful MAT2203 treatment outcome in these patients therefore adds to our confidence for the upcoming ORALTO Phase 3 trial in patients suffering from invasive aspergillosis with limited treatment options. We are grateful to these patients for participating in our program.”

A 40-year-old female patient with extensive burns on more than 34% of her body developed complications of a urinary tract infection, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and C. difficile colitis. Her treatment required multiple surgical operations for debridement of wounds and skin grafting and she developed a soft tissue fusarium infection of the left foot at a skin grafting site, which was resistant to voriconazole. Treatment with IV-amphotericin B led to nephrotoxicity and her fusarium infection showed resistance to all other antifungals. She was transitioned to oral MAT2203 for two weeks, which led to clinical resolution of her fungal infection.