Venatorx links up with Roche on new class of antibiotics

US antibacterial and antiviral drug R&D firm Venatorx Pharmaceutical has entered into a research collaboration and license agreement with Swiss pharma giant Roche (ROG: SIX) to discover, characterize and develop new small molecule inhibitors of the Penicillin Binding Proteins (PBPs) in Gram-negative bacteria focused on agents active against carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE).

No further details or financial terms of the accord have been disclosed.

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.