Why Is Fungal Infections-Focused Matinas BioPharma Stock Trading Higher On Friday?

Friday, Matinas BioPharma Holdings Inc MTNB announced a complete clinical response in three patients with invasive fusarium infection following treatment with MAT2203, Matinas’ oral formulation of antifungal amphotericin B. 

All three patients were enrolled in the company’s Compassionate/Expanded Use Access 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. 

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 the clinical resolution of her fungal infection.

A 48-year-old female renal transplant recipient developed chronic non-healing leg wounds. A fungal skin lesion culture was positive for an azole-resistant fusarium infection, which was only susceptible to amphotericin B. 

The patient was unable to receive long-term treatment with IV-amphotericin B due to her underlying condition, including risk for the development of nephrotoxicity, and was transitioned to oral MAT2203. She began to show clinical improvement following two weeks of oral MAT2203 treatment, and her skin wounds healed after six months of MAT2203 treatment.

A 69-year-old man with coronary artery disease developed a fever. CT scans exhibited a left upper lobe consolidation of the lung with a culture showing positive for an azole-resistant fusarium species. 

The patient was treated with oral MAT2203 on an outpatient basis for six months. Repeat CT scan following MAT2203 treatment showed improvement in fungal infection, with some new nodules due to progression of malignancy.

These three patients with fusarium infection are included in the 19 total patients discussed in Matinas’ recently announced update to the MAT2203 Compassionate/Expanded Use Access Program; however, two of the three patients had not yet achieved complete clinical resolution at the time of that report.

“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,” Theresa Matkovits, Chief Development Officer.

Price Action: MTNB shares are up 13.70% at $0.30 on the last check Friday.

Photo by hans-reniers for Unsplash