CARB-X awards $2.5M to GangaGen to develop antibacterial proteins

Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) — a global non-profit dedicated to antibacterial research – is awarding up to $2.5 million to GangaGen Biotechnologies to develop novel antibacterial proteins.

GangaGen, based in Bangalore, India, will develop novel antibacterial proteins called klebicins to treat pneumonia caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae. GangaGen will be eligible for an additional $8.1 million in funding from CARB-X if project milestones are met.

“GangaGen is researching a highly innovative approach to treat infections caused by multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae, including the carbapenem-resistant and Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBL)-expressing strains of particular clinical concern,” Erin Duffy, R&D Chief of CARB-X, a global partnership led by Boston University dedicated to supporting the development of antibacterial products to diagnose, prevent and treat drug-resistant infections. “The project is in the early stages of development, and if successful, it could represent progress in the treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.”

K. pneumoniae is of increasing concern in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), causing life-threatening infections such as pneumonia and neonatal sepsis.

“We are delighted to receive CARB-X’s support to progress the klebicin programme. K. pneumoniae is a hard-to-treat pulmonary pathogen resistant to many of the current antibiotics. Additionally, hypervirulent strains of the pathogen are being isolated in many parts of the globe,” Tanjore S Balganesh, president of GangaGen Biotechnologies, said.

Funding for the project comes from the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; the Wellcome Trust in the UK; the UK Global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Innovation Fund (GAMRIF), and Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

GangaGen is developing klebicins, which are naturally occurring protein antibiotics used to target the K. pneumoniae pathogen without impacting the microbiome.

“The klebicin molecules have a novel mode of action and represent a unique opportunity to discover, design, and develop novel antibacterials. We look forward to progressing these molecules,” Vivek Daniel Paul, GangaGen’s principal investigator, said.

CARB-X currently funds and supports 43 active projects and is investing up to $480 million in funding between 2016-2022 to support the early development of new therapeutics, preventatives, and rapid diagnostics.