Non-dilutive funding advances development of differentiated ribosome-targeting antibiotics for serious, drug-resistant infections with high unmet patient need
Kinvard Bio Inc., a biotechnology company pioneering a next-generation class of broad-spectrum antibiotics, today announced it has been awarded US$2.7 million follow-on non-dilutive funding from CARB-X (Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator), a global non-profit partnership accelerating antibacterial innovation to protect lives from bacterial infections. The funding will support advanced lead optimization efforts aimed at delivering a preclinical development candidate. Subject to the achievement of defined milestones, Kinvard Bio may be eligible for additional funding to advance the program through IND-enabling studies and into early clinical development.
Kinvard Bio was founded on research from the Myers Lab at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University. The company integrates rational drug design with its proprietary synthetic chemistry platform to develop a differentiated class of ribosome-targeting antibiotics known as oxepanoprolinamides (OPPs). These molecules are structurally preorganized for optimal engagement within the bacterial ribosome and are designed to overcome a wide range of pre-existing resistance mechanisms. Kinvard Bio is now advancing a pipeline of novel oral and intravenous small molecule antibiotics aimed at treating some of the most difficult-to-manage acute and chronic bacterial infections, including respiratory infections, complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), and nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease (NTM-LD).
This collaboration with CARB-X will accelerate the advancement of Kinvard’s OPP program targeting high-priority pathogens responsible for serious lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) and skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). By focusing on these urgent clinical needs, Kinvard aims to bring forward novel solutions to address the growing threat of antibiotic resistance in both hospital and community settings.
“Kinvard Bio’s efforts to build a fully synthetic novel inhibitor of the bacterial ribosome, a clinically validated target, may confer several advantages against resistance because of the novelty in chemistry. The fact that the ribosome is a multigene target offers the potential to slow resistance development,” said Erin Duffy, PhD, R&D Chief of CARB-X. “This, coupled with an emphasis on the properties that will deliver an oral antibiotic, drives our enthusiasm for supporting the optimization of this class towards a new antibiotic for serious infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria such as MRSA.”
“Bacterial infections remain one of the leading contributors to the global burden of disease, and the increasing incidence of antimicrobial resistance is eroding the effectiveness of our existing antibiotics,” said Lloyd Payne, Chief Executive Officer of Kinvard Bio. “Our collaboration with CARB-X provides not only critical non-dilutive funding, but also access to a global network of expertise that will help accelerate this important program toward providing urgently needed treatment options for patients who need it most.”
Research reported in this press release is supported by CARB-X. CARB-X’s funding for this project is provided in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority; under agreement number: 75A50122C00028, and by awards from Wellcome (WT224842), Germany’s Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the UK Department of Health and Social Care as part of the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Innovation Fund (GAMRIF), and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). The content of this press release is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of CARB-X or any of its funders.
