Viamet's Valley Fever candidate granted QIDP status by FDA

US biotech Viamet Pharmaceuticals has been granted qualified infectious disease product (QIDP) designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for VT-1598, a novel candidate for the oral treatment of coccidioidomycosis, or Valley fever.

QIDP designation provides significant incentives for the development of innovative antimicrobial agents like VT-1598, including the potential for priority review by the FDA, eligibility for fast track status, and a five-year extension of marketing exclusivity.

The FDA granted orphan drug designation to VT-1598 in May for the treatment of Valley fever, which is a systemic fungal infection in the south west of the USA, where the spores of the fungal pathogen Coccidioides live in the soil.  There are an estimated 150,000 cases annually and a major need exists for new treatments.