CARB-X, a global non-profit partnership, is granting United States-based VenatoRx Pharmaceuticals up to USD4.1m in non-dilutive funding, with the possibility of up to an additional USD8.9m if certain project milestones are met, to produce a new class of oral antibiotics intended to treat infections caused by multi-drug-resistant (MDR) Neisseria gonorrhoeae, it was reported yesterday.

VenatoRx is producing an oral penicillin-binding protein inhibitor to address the increasing problem of resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae to the last resort antibiotic for outpatient use, ceftriaxone. It has identified non-beta-lactam transpeptidase inhibitors that are rapidly bactericidal, impervious to beta-lactamases, and indicate promising selective activity against gonococci, including both wild-type strains and isolates with PBP variants that confer ceftriaxone resistance. This funding is intended to help VenatoRx to progress these early molecules from hit-to-lead through IND-enabling studies.

CARB-X is investing up to USD500m between 2016-2021 to support the development of new antibiotics, rapid diagnostics, vaccines and other life-saving products. The aim is to support projects through the early phases of development, through Phase one for therapeutics, so that they will attract additional private or public support for further clinical development and approval for use in patients.