HHS enters into two partnerships to combat multi-drug resistant bacterial infections

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) recently entered into two strategic partnerships with The Medicines Company and Hoffman-LaRoche, Inc., to combat the threat of multi-drug resistant bacterial infections.

Under the agreement with The Medicines Company, ASPR’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) will provide more than $32 million in a span of four years, with an option for $132 million in the span of five years.

Under the agreement with Hoffman-LaRoche, BARDA will provide more than $35 million in the span of two years, with an option for $151.6 million in the span of five years.

Both companies will provide a significant portion of the funding needed to bring their products to the market.

The Medicines Company will continue to make progress on multiple antibiotics, including one known as Carbavance, which was developed to treat hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-acquired bacterial pneumonia, while Hoffman-LaRoche will continue to develop diagnostic tests to detect specific viral and bacterial infections.

“Combatting the rise of antimicrobial resistant infections requires innovation, nimbleness, and collaboration, all of which are components of these new agreements,” Dr. Richard Hatchett, acting director of BARDA, said. “These partnerships allow BARDA and its partners to respond rapidly to new discoveries, technical developments and strategic priorities by quickly refocusing our portfolios.”