Intravaginal Gel for Sustained Delivery of Occidiofungin and Long-Lasting Antifungal Effects.

Fungal infections are caused by opportunistic pathogens that can be life threatening or debilitating. Candida spp. are becoming increasingly resistant to current clinically approved antifungal therapeutics. Candida infections afflict not only immunosuppressed but also immunocompetent individuals. Recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) is a disease that afflicts 5-9% of women. Occidiofungin is a novel cyclic peptide that has a broad spectrum of antifungal activity with a novel fungicidal mechanism of action. A gel formulation containing occidiofungin (OCF001) is being developed for use to treat vulvovaginal candidiasis. The formulated gel for intravaginal application used hydroxyethyl cellulose as the primary gelling agent and hydroxypropyl ß-cyclodextrin as a solubilizing agent for occidiofungin. Franz cells and LC-MS/MS were used to determine the rate of drug substance diffusion in the gel formulation. The formulation was tested in an ex vivo mouse skin efficacy study, and the safety was tested following repeat intravaginal administration in rabbits. In this study, the gel formulation was shown to reduce the drug substance rate of diffusion across a skin memetic membrane. The study showed that the formulation extends exposure time to inhibitory concentrations of occidiofungin over a 24-h period and supports a single daily application for the treatment of RVVC.

Complete Genome Sequence of Klebsiella pneumoniae Myophage Mulock.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen associated with hospital-acquired infections. This report describes the complete genome of the K. pneumoniae myophage Mulock, which appears to be a temperate myophage distantly related to other Klebsiella myophages in morphogenesis genes and is partially syntenic with the canonical Escherichia phage lambda in genes encoding lambda-like functions.

Coding-Complete Genome Sequence of Staphylococcus aureus Podophage Portland.

Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, especially the multidrug resistance strains, are responsible for a wide range of clinical infections. Here, we announce the genome sequence of S. aureus podophage Portland, which is closely related to a group of phi29-like S. aureus podophages, including phages phi44AHJD and phiP68. The exact genome sequence ends of phage Portland were not determined and may be obscured by terminal proteins.

Complete Genome Sequence of Serratia marcescens Siphophage Scapp.

Serratia marcescens is an opportunistic pathogen that typically infects the respiratory and urinary tract, with the majority of cases being hospital acquired. The study of S. marcescens phages may help control drug-resistant S. marcescens strains. In this study, we announce the complete genome sequence and the features of S. marcescens siphophage Scapp.

Complete Genome Sequence of Serratia marcescens Siphophage Serbin.

Serratia marcescens is an opportunistic human pathogen that is known to cause hospital-acquired respiratory and urinary tract infections. Here, we announce the complete genome sequence and the features of S. marcescens phage Serbin.

Complete Genome Sequence of Klebsiella pneumoniae Myophage May.

May is a newly isolated myophage that infects multidrug-resistant strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, a pathogen that is associated with antibiotic-resistant infections in humans. The genome of May has been shown to be similar to that of phage Vi01.