Locus Biosciences signs $144 million contract with BARDA to develop LBP-EC01

US biotech Locus Biosciences has signed a contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to co-fund development of LBP-EC01, a CRISPR Cas3-enhanced bacteriophage (crPhage) product that will target Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria causing recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Under the partnership agreement, BARDA, part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), will provide up to $77 million in funding to Locus as part of a $144 million program to support Phase II and Phase III clinical trials and other activities required to seek marketing approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for LBP-EC01.

"The development of non-traditional therapies that possess alternative properties to conventional small-molecule antibiotics represents a unique opportunity to advance the field of medicine and provide new treatment options to patients with antimicrobial-resistant infections which are a growing concern for our nation's health security," said BARDA acting director Gary Disbrow.