Coverage Initiated: January 2010

PolyMedix (PYMX) created platform technology based upon easily-manufactured molecules designed to be just “good enough” to get the job done. That sounds like faint praise, but it is not. Too many science geeks look to design the perfect molecule. PolyMedix seeks to design synthetic molecules to replicate natural process or fill certain receptors – but only those processes and receptors minimally necessary to achieve the end result.

At the time of initiation in January 2010, PolyMedix had no real in-patient proof of their two lead products yet. Both had been in healthy humans, however, and their clinical programs tend to move pretty fast. The preclinical work published thus far has been solid and, if you read the deeper in vitro and computational work, generally generated predicted outcomes.

PolyMedix considers their lead product to be PMX-60056, a “heptagonist” designed to reverse heparin and low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH). Heparin is an anti-clotting drug used heavily in surgeries. The ability to reliably reverse heparin after the surgery is complete is really important. The only current heparin reverser, protamine, has undesirable side effects. PMX-60056 doesn’t have these side effects and, as a bonus, can reverse LMWH, which some patients take on a chronic basis to reduce the chance for blood clots.

We consider PolyMedix’s most important program to be PMX-30063 (“three hundred sixty-three”). This small molecule “foldamer” mimics aspects of the human innate immune system to kill bacteria – both gram-positive and gram-negative. This IV drug is a very broad-spectrum antimicrobic designed for use in all Staphylococcus aureus strains – resistant or not – in hospital or in-patient settings. The company’s AMP foldamer platform technology appears to be applicable to all strains of bacteria. In theory, because the drug focuses on aspects of bacteria unique to bacteria and that cannot be evolved away from (negative surface charge and no cholesterol-based lipid layer), PolyMedix’s technology should never result in drug resistance. Yes, we’ve heard that before and there is disagreement in the literature as to this feature, but PolyMedix has a better claim to this ‘feature’ than anyone we’ve seen.

A complete listing of our research on PolyMedix is available by clicking here.