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BioVersys Joins EU-Funded RespiriNTM Programme to Accelerate Development of Its Broad-Spectrum Drug Candidates Against NTM Pulmonary Diseases

BASEL, Switzerland, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

  • RespiriNTM Programme allows BioVersys’ NTM project to access up to €2 million of non-dilutive funding
  • BioVersys taps into key expertise of the established RespiriNTM consortium members and will lead development of its candidates through preclinical and clinical studies
  • BioVersys’ NTM candidates are derived from the company’s proprietary Ansamycin Chemistry platform and are being developed to address difficult-to-treat Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and Mycobacterium abscessus subspecies (MAB) infections

BioVersys AG, a multi-asset, clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on research and development of novel antibacterial products for serious life-threatening infections caused by multi-drug resistant (“MDR”) bacteria, announced today that it has joined the EU-funded RespiriNTM programme, an 8-year journey exploring multiple approaches to determine new targets for anti-mycobacterial compounds, define and optimize novel inhibitors and move these through the process of hit-to-lead up until the First-in-Human trials. BioVersys’ in-house non-tubercular mycobacteria (NTM) project will have access to up to approximately €2 million in non-dilutive funding from the original IMI2 RespiriNTM grant of approximately €5.7 million, and to key capabilities of established consortium partners to develop novel candidates to address NTM pulmonary disease (NTM-PD).

NTM-PD is estimated to affect more than 86,000 people in the US according to the American Lung Association and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global health threat with currently available therapeutics becoming more and more obsolete due to AMR.1 This is of greatest concern when addressing NTM-PD, as chronic antibiotic treatments of 12-24 months required for these infections often lead to the development of antibiotic resistance. Due to the lack of effective treatment options, current cure rates for NTM-PD are as low as 30-50%.2 Particularly vulnerable to NTM-PD are people who suffer from structural airway diseases such as cystic fibrosis, COPD and bronchiectasis.

BioVersys’ NTM program is derived from the company’s proprietary Ansamycin Chemistry platform. The BioVersys’ research team is developing a novel and highly potent broad-spectrum anti-NTM ansamycin, suitable for oral or inhalation therapy that is devoid of cross-resistance with other therapeutic classes. Since NTM-PD patients are often on multi-drug regimens, the company focuses on developing molecules that do not show any significant potential for drug-drug interactions.

Meindert H. Lamers, Associate Professor, Leiden University Medical Center & RespiriNTM Project Coordinator: “Working together with BioVersys on the RespiriNTM project is a unique opportunity. Their powerful ansamycin class of inhibitors have the potential to provide an effective and highly needed treatment option for NTM infections, which fits perfectly with the aims of the RespiriNTM project. BioVersys’ strong drive to deliver a novel NTM antibiotic has invigorated the RespiriNTM project. Our collaboration to date has been very stimulating and I am very much looking forward to deepening our collaboration with BioVersys over the coming years.”

Dr. Sergio Lociuro, Chief Scientific Officer of BioVersys: “Following on from the recent successes of TRIC-TB, we are very pleased to have the opportunity to join a second IMI2 JU funded programme, which is tackling another area of high unmet medical need. RespiriNTM is a strong consortium of many expert partners with valuable experience in the field of antimicrobial resistance. We aim to develop our broad-spectrum NTM candidates into effective treatments against these difficult to treat pulmonary diseases to positively impact patients’ lives.”

Full PR available here