ContraFect Announces Presentation at the International Society of Cardiovascular Infectious Diseases Symposium

YONKERS, N.Y., June 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ContraFect Corporation CFRX, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of biologic therapies for life-threatening, drug-resistant infectious diseases, today announced that Cara Cassino, M.D., Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President of Research and Development at ContraFect, will present at the invitation of the International Society of Cardiovascular Infectious Diseases (ISCVID) Symposium on Monday, June 3, 2019, in Lausanne, Switzerland. Dr. Cassino will discuss ContraFect's lead phage-derived lysin candidate, exebacase, and promising data on the treatment of patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections, including endocarditis, from the Company's Phase 2 clinical trial.

Presentation Details:

Presentation Title:  Novel Phage Lysins for MRSA IE
Session Day & Time:  Monday, June 3, 2019 at 3:30 p.m. CEST
Session Title:  Novel Therapeutic Strategies (Including Experimental)

About ContraFect:

ContraFect is a biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing differentiated biologic therapies for life-threatening, drug-resistant infectious diseases, particularly those treated in hospital settings. An estimated 700,000 deaths worldwide each year are attributed to antimicrobial-resistant infections. We intend to address life threatening infections using our therapeutic product candidates from our platform of direct lytic agents (DLAs), which include lysins and amurin peptides. Lysins are a new therapeutic class of DLAs derived from bacteriophage which are recombinantly produced, antimicrobial proteins with a novel mechanism of action associated with the rapid killing of target bacteria, eradication of biofilms and synergy with conventional antibiotics. We believe that the properties of our lysins will make them suitable for targeting antibiotic-resistant organisms, such as Staphylococcus aureus (Staph aureus) and Pseudomonas Aeruginosa (P. Aeruginosa), which can cause serious infections such as bacteremia, pneumonia and osteomyelitis. We have clinically completed a Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of Staph aureus bacteremia, including endocarditis with our lead lysin candidate, exebacase (CF-301), which is the first lysin to enter clinical studies in the U.S.

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About Exebacase (CF-301):

Exebacase (CF-301) is a recombinantly-produced lysin (cell wall hydrolase enzyme) with potent bactericidal activity against Staph aureus, a major cause of blood stream infections (BSIs) also known as bacteremia. Exebacase has the potential to be a first-in-class treatment for Staph aureus bacteremia.  It has a novel, rapid, and specific mechanism of bactericidal action against Staph aureus. By targeting a conserved region of the cell wall that is vital to bacteria, resistance is less likely to develop to exebacase. In addition, in vitro and in vivo experiments have shown that exebacase is highly active against biofilms which complicate Staph aureus infections. Exebacase was licensed from The Rockefeller University and is being developed at ContraFect.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains, and our officers and representatives may make from time to time, "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws.  Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "projects," "may," "will," "could," "would," "should," "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "intends," "plans," "potential," "promise" or similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements in this release include, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's  ability to discover and develop differentiated biological therapies for life-threatening, drug-resistant infectious diseases, whether the data from the Phase 2 trial was promising, information provided regarding the presentation, the Company's ability to address life threatening infections using its therapeutic product candidates from its DLA platform which includes lysins and amurins, whether lysins are a new therapeutic class of DLAs derived from bacteriophage which are recombinantly produced, antimicrobial proteins with a novel mechanism of action associated with the rapid killing of target bacteria, eradication of biofilms and synergy with conventional antibiotics, whether the properties of the Company's lysins will make them suitable for targeting antibiotic-resistant organisms, such as Staph aureus and P. aeruginosa, whether exebacase has the potential to be a first-in-class treatment for Staph aureus bacteremia and whether exebacase is highly active against biofilms which complicate Staph aureus infections. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts, nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based on ContraFect's current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of its business, future plans, strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond ContraFect's control, including those detailed in ContraFect's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ include, among others, our ability to develop treatments for drug-resistant infectious diseases. Any forward-looking statement made by ContraFect in this press release is based only on information currently available and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Except as required by applicable law, ContraFect expressly disclaims any obligations to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Investor Relations Contacts:

Michael Messinger
ContraFect Corporation
Tel: 914-207-2300
Email: mmessinger@contrafect.com

Lauren Stival
Stern Investor Relations
Tel: 212-362-1200
Email: lauren.stival@sternir.com