Moving a new drug for sepsis from the lab to the clinic

Translation of a novel compound that improves outcomes in sepsis into humans

Dr James Leiper is developing a new drug to help treat people with sepsis. Many people are treated in intensive care each year with sepsis, when the body has an overwhelming and life-threatening response to infection, including widespread relaxation in the tone of blood vessels and a dangerous drop in blood pressure. No current treatments help improve survival or reduce long term complications. Dr Leiper and his team have developed a drug called L-257 that improves survival and reduces organ failure in animals with sepsis. L-257 works by keeping blood vessels functioning properly, improving blood flow to vital organs. Their preliminary work suggests it is a safe and practical drug. In this project, Dr Leiper’s team is completing the first milestone needed before L-257 is tested in people for the first time. They are searching for a better form of the drug that will allow it to be efficiently delivered to the tissues. Because L-257 represents a new way to treat sepsis, the researchers are engaging with the US Food and Drug Administration to confirm how the clinical trial should be designed in order to test if it works in people. The BHF has supported L-257’s development until now, and this exciting research marks the beginning of the next phase to take this promising drug from the bench to the clinic.