- AUROBAC THERAPEUTICS to advance ATX101 in septic shock, and multiple preclinical and discovery programs targeting Gram-negative pathogens.
Lyon (France), June 3, 2024 AUROBAC THERAPEUTICS, a biopharmaceutical company founded by Boehringer Ingelheim, bioMérieux and Evotec, presented its strategy for the first time today. It aims to address high unmet medical needs associated with infections in acute hospital settings, amidst the growing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) epidemic. AUROBAC THERAPEUTICS’ R&D strategy addresses this urgent need with patient- and pathogen-targeted programs. They are designed to tackle both the causes and consequences of potentially life-threatening bacterial infections and AMR, including hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (HABP and VABP) and sepsis. The adoption of innovative diagnostic strategies developed in partnership with bioMérieux is a central element to this strategy that will enable patient stratification and optimization of treatment outcomes.
In this context, AUROBAC announced a new collaboration and license agreement on a Boehringer Ingelheim compound that will be developed as ATX101 for the treatment of septic shock. ATX101 is a potential first-in-class therapeutic that targets the loss of vascular integrity in septic shock. Building on promising preclinical data, AUROBAC THERAPEUTICS plans to take ATX101 into clinical development in 2025.
AUROBAC THERAPEUTICS is also progressing a discovery and early preclinical pipeline, including ATX401 (formerly CF-370), which stands out as the first engineered lysin with potent in vitro activity against multiple clinically relevant Gram-negative bacteria. Gram-negative bacteria have an outer membrane that can protect them from certain antibiotics, making them more resistant to treatment. ATX401 can penetrate this outer layer and degrade the bacterial cell wall resulting in cell lysis and death.
Additionally, AUROBAC’s unique drug discovery engine aims to identify new precision antimicrobials, as showcased through a collaboration with GENERARE Bioscience, which has developed a DNA-guided synthetic biology platform for the discovery of novel drug leads of microbial origin. “With AMR recognized by WHO as one of the foremost global public health threats, there is an urgent and unmet need for new therapies to prevent the deadly consequences of Gram-negative resistant infections in acute hospital settings” said Martin Everett, Ph.D., AUROBAC’s Chief Scientific Officer. “Our diagnostic-driven strategy and innovative pipeline underscore our dedication to developing a new generation of precision drugs and improving outcomes for patients in urgent need.”
Today’s announcements illustrate AUROBAC’s ongoing commitment to foster collaborations and partnerships in pursuing its mission to develop and bring to market innovative products targeting bacterial infections, antimicrobial resistance and their consequences in acute hospital settings.
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