In an effort to combat the rising public health concern of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership (GARDP) and Bugworks Research Inc. have joined forces. The two organizations have announced a collaboration to develop an innovative compound, BWC0977. This broad-spectrum antibiotic exhibits profound activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria—the pathogens behind various life-threatening infections.
According to the GRAM study published in The Lancet, AMR stands as a leading worldwide cause of death, with a significant impact in areas with minimal resources. It is crucial, therefore, to properly comprehend the AMR burden and pinpoint primary pathogen-drug combinations contributing to it. Such knowledge facilitates the generation of location-specific policies—an essential aspect of infection prevention and control programs. It furthermore helps ensure access to crucial antibiotics and advances research for new vaccines and antibiotics.
As part of the collaboration agreement, GARDP will provide Bugworks with technical and financial support, amounting up to $20 million, for the pharmaceutical and clinical co-development of BWC0977. In return, Bugworks has granted GARDP manufacturing and commercialization rights for said compound in 146 countries, mainly lower-income or middle-income nations.
The GRAM study’s findings reveal the six pathogens primarily contributing to AMR-related deaths: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These pathogens led to roughly 929,000 deaths ascribed to AMR and 3.57 million deaths associated with AMR in the year 2019.
BWC0977 demonstrates in vitro activity against a wide array of pathogens, leading to severe hospital-acquired infections including pneumonia and bloodstream infections, and complicated urinary tract infections. These pathogens include the carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae, which have limited treatment options available—a fact confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Predictive statistical models estimate that in 2019, bacterial AMR was associated with almost 4.95 million deaths, with 1.27 million deaths being directly attributable to bacterial AMR. Notably, the death rate ascribed to resistance in 2019 was highest in western sub-Saharan Africa and lowest in Australasia. Lower respiratory infections accounted for more than 1.5 million resistance-associated deaths during the same year, making it the most burdensome infectious syndrome.
Looking into the future, Erin Duffy, the R&D Chief at CARB-X, expresses pride in CARB-X’s tangible and intangible support for the Bugworks program. She anticipates GARDP’s further support in propelling this potentially groundbreaking, broad-spectrum antibiotic towards patients in need.