PR92421

LAUSANNE, Switzerland and BOSTON, Oct. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

Debiopharm (www.debiopharm.com), a Swiss-based global biopharmaceutical company

announced today having been awarded the third phase funding to advance the

development of its antibiotic program, Debio 1453, by the Combating

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X -

https://carb-x.org/ ), a Boston-based non-profit accelerating antibacterial

research. This extended financing will support the ongoing development of a

novel antibiotic for the treatment of Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections,

including those caused by multi-resistant strains. This extension of over $1

million will allow the completion of preliminary toxicology studies needed to

determine the doses for pivotal toxicology research as well as optimize the

production steps of the development candidate. This is a step towards the

development of an affordable, quality product for human use and eventual

clinical research. This funding succeeds the previous rounds over the last 4

years supporting earlier research, totaling up to $4 million since 2017.

"CARB-X is taking a portfolio approach to tackling gonorrhea by investing

across all pillars – preventatives, diagnostics, and therapeutics. New classes

with oral options are much needed to treat gonorrhea; as such, we are pleased

to support the progression of '1453 into preclinical studies," said Erin Duffy,

PhD, Chief of R&D at CARB-X.

Due to an alarming level of antimicrobial resistance and infection, N.

gonorrhoeae represents a concerning global public health issue with a high

unmet need for new treatments.[1] In response to this urgent need, Debiopharm

is developing Debio 1453, a novel narrow-spectrum antibiotic that inhibits

FabI, an enzyme essential for fatty acid synthesis in this bacteria. A

promising lead compound has emerged from previous development exhibiting strong

efficacy in pre-clinical models. This compound has the potential to expand the

range of treatments against N. gonorrhoeae and to be active against resistant

strains.

"We are thrilled and appreciative having been awarded an additional grant from

CARB-X. This renewal of research funding demonstrates the promising capacity of

our antibiotic program to make a revolutionary impact in the battle against

drug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae," said Thierry Mauvernay, President of Debiopharm.

Various formerly efficacious treatments have become ineffective attributable to

N. gonorrhoeae's extensive history of microbial drug resistance.[1] According

to the CDC, it is paramount to perpetually observe antibiotic resistance in N.

gonorrhoeae as well as stimulate the research and development of new treatment

practices.[2] The infection is transmitted to approximately 78 million people

each year and can cause serious conditions such as pelvic inflammatory disease

and in some cases, infertility in the absence of treatment.[3]

"It is critical to act quickly in face of the skyrocketing amount of super-bugs

indicating resistance to available antibiotics," said Bertrand Ducrey, CEO of

Debiopharm. "In order for us to be equipped to evade an approaching epidemic of

patients with N. gonorrhoeae vastly resistant to current therapies, we must

continue to make strides in new treatment development."

Research reported in this press release is supported by CARB-X. CARB-X's

funding for this project is sponsored by the Cooperative Agreement Number

IDSEP160030 from ASPR/BARDA and by an award from Wellcome Trust. The content is

solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the

official views of CARB-X or any of its funders.

About CARB-X

Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X)

is an international not-for-profit partnership whose mission is to hasten

antibacterial research to confront the worldwide emerging hazard of

drug-resistant bacteria. CARB-X finances the leading scientific innovators

across the globe, with up to $480 million to invest in from 2016 to 2022. Its

portfolio includes the largest preliminary development pipeline of novel

antibiotics, vaccines, rapid diagnostics and other preventative and diagnostic

products in the world. Headquartered at the Boston University School of Law,

the organization is led by Boston University and is funded by the US Department

of Health and Human Services Biomedical Advanced Research and Development

Authority (BARDA), a branch of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for

Preparedness and Response, the Wellcome Trust, Germany's Federal Ministry of

Education and Research (BMBF), the UK Government's Global Antimicrobial

Resistance Innovation Fund (UK GAMRIF), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,

and receives in-kind support from National Institute of Allergy and Infectious

Diseases (NIAID), part of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Debiopharm's commitment to patients

Debiopharm develops & manufactures innovative therapies and drug delivery

technologies that target high unmet medical needs in oncology and infectious

diseases. Bridging the gap between disruptive discovery products and real-world

patient reach, we identify high-potential compounds and technologies for

in-licensing, clinically demonstrate their safety and efficacy and then select

large pharmaceutical commercialization partners to maximize patient access

globally.

For more information, please visit www.debiopharm.com

Follow us on Twitter @DebiopharmNews at http://twitter.com/DebiopharmNews

Debiopharm Contact

Dawn Bonine  

Communication Manager  

dawn.bonine@debiopharm.com  

Tel: +41 (0)21 321 01 11

[1].  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6452490/  

[2].  https://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/arg/default.htm

[3].  

https://www.who.int/news/item/07-07-2017-antibiotic-resistant-gonorrhoea-on-the-rise-new-drugs-needed

SOURCE  Debiopharm International SA