1 November 2021 - - US-based Venatorx Pharmaceuticals has entered into a Research Collaboration and License Agreement with Switzerland-based Roche to discover, characterize and develop new small molecule inhibitors of the Penicillin Binding Proteins in Gram-negative bacteria focused on agents active against carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), the company said.

Enterobacterales ranks among the "Priority 1: Critical" antibiotic resistant pathogens on the World Health Organization's list of bacteria for which new antibiotics are urgently needed.

In particular, these multidrug resistant pathogens pose a particular threat in hospitals and nursing homes, as well as among patients whose care requires devices such as ventilators and catheters.

These bacteria have become resistant to a large number of antibiotics, including carbapenems and third generation cephalosporins.

Venatorx discovered, and has been developing, this novel class of non-beta-lactam molecules that kill bacteria by the same selective mechanism as beta-lactams -- blocking cell wall synthesis via binding to the bacterial PBPs.

Chemically distinct from the beta-lactams, these new molecules are designed to be impervious to degradation by beta-lactamases.

Venatorx Pharmaceuticals is a private, clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on improving health outcomes for patients with multi-drug-resistant bacterial infections and hard-to-treat viral infections.

Founded in 2010, Venatorx has built a world-class in-house research and development organization that has over 100 patents granted worldwide.

Venatorx has received significant funding awards from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health, Wellcome Trust, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Office of the Assistant secretary for Preparedness and Response at the US Department of Health and Human Service, the US Department of Defense's Defense Threat Reduction Agency, CARB-X, and as well as private equity investments from Versant Ventures, Abingworth and Foresite Capital.

In addition, Venatorx has license and/or partnership agreements with Everest Medicines Ltd., the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP), and Roche.