XImmune: Self-help Peptides

The only drug approved to treat sepsis is Xigris drotrecogin alfa from Eli Lilly and Co., but its potential to cause serious bleeding events has limited its use to severely septic adults at high risk of death. XImmune AB thinks its novel class of host defense peptides that target multiple cytokines involved in inflammation will be safer and applicable to a broader number of patients.

Sepsis involves an overactive inflammatory response to severe bacterial infection that can compromise vascular integrity and cause tissue edema, organ dysfunction and death. Standard therapy includes antibiotics that treat the underlying infection and steroids that target individual pro-inflammatory cytokines...