Matisse Pharmaceuticals has achieved a significant milestone in sepsis treatment development, reporting positive top-line results from a Phase I trial evaluating M6229 administered as a 120-hour continuous intravenous infusion in healthy participants. The placebo-controlled, single-blind, randomized study successfully met its primary objectives of assessing pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of the lead compound.
Extended Infusion Strategy Shows Promise
The trial demonstrated that M6229 maintains a favorable tolerability and safety profile during the prolonged infusion period, with predictable pharmacokinetic behavior throughout the 120-hour administration window. This extended duration represents a strategic approach to addressing the complex inflammatory cascade characteristic of sepsis.
"We believe that a prolonged infusion duration could offer an effective solution for irreversibly stopping the harmful inflammatory responses that occur in sepsis patients," said Kees Groen, chief development officer at Matisse Pharmaceuticals. "With these data we take a very important step in applying this extended infusion in our Phase II study to treat sepsis patients, which is currently in preparation."
Building on Previous Clinical Success
The current results complement findings from an earlier 2024 clinical trial, where a six-hour continuous IV infusion of M6229 demonstrated positive tolerability and safety profiles in critically ill sepsis subjects. The company also reported positive topline results in January 2024 from the HistoSeps trial, which evaluated M6229's tolerability, safety, and pharmacokinetics for sepsis treatment.
Phase II Trial Preparation Underway
Data from both the healthy participant study and the previous intensive care sepsis trial will inform the design and execution of the upcoming Phase II clinical trial. The next-phase study will focus specifically on selecting an appropriate dosing strategy for sepsis patients, leveraging the comprehensive safety and pharmacokinetic profile established across multiple trial populations.
Matisse plans to submit regulatory dossiers seeking approval to conduct the Phase II trial across multiple regions, including Europe, Asia, and the United States. The study was executed and managed by Charité Research Organisation in Berlin, Germany.
Addressing Critical Medical Need
Sepsis represents a major global health challenge, affecting 49 million individuals annually with a mortality rate exceeding 20%, according to the World Health Organization. The condition remains a leading cause of death worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for effective therapeutic interventions that can interrupt the harmful inflammatory cascade driving patient mortality.
