Polyphor and the European Innovative Medicines Initiative will fund up to 10 million euros to support and advance the development of an inhaled formulation of Polyphor’s investigational antibiotic murepavadin.
Polyphor is investing 5 million euros into the development project; the IMI will provide up to 5 million.
Cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis patients are especially affected by respiratory infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria. In the past, the availability of inhaled antibiotics increased the survival and offered a better quality of life for these patients. But it is imperative to develop new lifesaving antibiotic treatments to manage chronic lung infections and fight resistant pathogens.
Murepavadin is a specific antibiotic that targets Gram-negative bacteria. It is known as a precision outer membrane protein targeting antibiotic (OMPTA) against one of the most difficult pathogens to treat, Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. This antibiotic is also highly potent against other multi-drug resistant strains.
