CARB-X funds earmarked for antibiotics research

Basel, Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company BioVersys has secured a $4.35 million funding allotment from CARB-X to develop new antibiotics to treat life-threatening infections caused by ESKAPE pathogens.

The pathogens are identified as bacteria that have developed resistance to most current, adding BioVersys could receive up to $10.98 million in additional funding from CARB-X, subject to available funds if the project achieves certain milestones.

“This funding from CARB-X aims to speed the development of an exciting new class of antibiotics to treat patients with life-threatening infections and to enhance global health security,” Erin Duffy, R&D chief of CARB-X, a non-profit global partnership led by Boston University, said. “There has been a dire shortage of antibacterial innovation over the past half-century, and it is vital to accelerate the development of new approaches to address the spread of drug resistance.”

BioVersys CSO Sergio Lociuro said the company is pleased to receive the award and continue discovering and developing new pyrrolocytosine antibiotics.

“Novel classes of broad-spectrum antibiotics with demonstrated in vitro and in vivo activity against all ESKAPE clinical isolates are like rare gems,” he said. “We are excited to tackle the challenges of developing this totally new chemical class, potentially providing the first truly broadly active new class of antibiotics since decades.”