Discovery and Development of Voxvoganan: First-in-Class Synthetic Antimicrobial Peptidomimetic

Voxvoganan is a synthetic antimicrobial peptidomimetic designed by applying the principles of natural antimicrobial peptides sharing many of the attractive properties, such as a wide antimicrobial spectrum and fast antimicrobial action. In contrast to the natural peptides that typically consist of 15-25 residues, voxvoganan contains only three amino acids, comparable to a classical small molecule drug, and can be manufactured on an industrial scale using solution phase methods. Voxvoganan has been developed both as a drug for the early treatment of respiratory viral infection and as an antimicrobial active pharmaceutical ingredient in medical devices to avoid microbial fouling, thus reducing the infection risk connected with the use of these devices. During development, voxvoganan has been through toxicology and safety studies as well as Phase 1 and 2 clinical studies. When voxvoganan hits the market as a first-in-class drug, the unique potential of antimicrobial peptides will finally reach patients.