Product candidate to target specific elimination of Streptococcus mutans may alter oral microbiome to provide long-lasting benefits

The company’s lead product, referred to as C16G2, is the first peptide therapeutic derived from C3 Jian’s proprietary platform technology referred to as STAMPs (Specifically Targeted Antimicrobial Peptides). C3 Jian’s STAMP technology specifically targets pathogenic bacteria, to correct dysbiosis of microbiome communities. The result is a microbiome reengineered to restore the ecology with the potential for a lasting therapeutic benefit.ADDITIONAL READING |Anti-cavity drug in C3 Jian's Phase 2 clinical trial targets elimination of Streptococcus mutans In this case, C16G2 is shown to eradicate only the acid-producing S. mutans bacteria, the main cause of tooth decay, without disturbing the benign and beneficial bacteria in the mouth. The study shows that the selective killing of S. mutans also caused the elimination of several other bacterial species that are physically associated with S. mutans. Eliminating these bacteria caused a related increase in several other beneficial bacteria, which resulted in a microbial community with the potential to improve oral health.ADDITIONAL READING |Advancing the understanding of the dental microbiome “This is a very exciting finding,” said Todd R. Patrick, president and CEO of C3 Jian. “Our STAMP platform is designed to target the specific elimination of harmful bacteria. We are very confident in our ability to achieve such an outcome. What we had yet to see was what would fill in the niche. This study shows we have the potential to alter the microbiome, in this case the oral microbiome, in a beneficial way through the elimination of a single species.” C16G2 is being developed for the prevention of dental caries under an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is currently undergoing Phase 2 multicenter clinical trials. In addition to C16G2, the company has developed STAMPs against other disease-causing bacteria, including therapies that specifically target Clostridium difficile and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The company expects these product candidates to be in human clinical testing within the next one to two years. The company’s platform technology was originally developed and patented by the company’s founding scientist, Dr. Wenyuan Shi, professor and chair of oral biology at UCLA. “Seeing the commercial translation of this work is extremely gratifying,” stated Dr. Shi. “I have full confidence in the team at C3 Jian to continue to advance the development of this exciting technology into commercial products that can help solve the problems associated with the overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics.” For more information about C3 Jian, Inc., visit their website.