Nosopharm joins European Gram-negative Antibacterial Engine (ENABLE) project to combat antibiotic resistance
The company aims to advance a promising antibacterial compound to clinical stage for the treatment of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections
Nosopharm, a French biotechnology company developing new antibacterial molecules, has joined ENABLE (European Gram-negative Antibacterial Engine), a project working to advance the development of potential antibiotics against multidrug resistant Gram-negative infections.
ENABLE is one of seven projects in the New Drugs For Bad Bugs (ND4BB) consortium, part of the Innovative Medicines Initiative’s (IMI’s) antibiotic resistance programme. This EUR100m (US$106m) project aims to identify at least three antibacterial lead molecules with promising antibacterial activity, two antibacterial clinical candidate molecules and to enter at least one compound into preclinical and Phase 1 clinical studies.
Located in Nîmes, Nosopharm brings its NOSO-95179 candidate for the treatment of multidrug-resistant hospital-acquired infections to the project.
Participation in the project will allow the company to access significant technical expertise and financial support to complete a Phase 1 clinical trial.
This is a major milestone in the development of our NOSO-95179 candidate
NOSO-95179 was discovered consecutively to the lead optimisation of NOSO-95, the first molecule of a new class of Odilorhabdin antibiotics. The discovery stems from a bacterium of the Xenorhabdus genus. NOSO-95179 inhibits bacterial translation with a new mode of action. Its target indication is the treatment of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections.
ENABLE will fund 75% of Nosopharm’s internal R&D costs while the programme is active. Nosopharm will also participate in collaborative research with ENABLE’s partners across Europe. The project will strengthen the company’s IP as it will own all NOSO-95179 results.
Philippe Villain-Guillot, President of Nosopharm, said: 'Being selected for ENABLE strengthens Nosopharm’s position among the most innovative companies in the antibacterial R&D community.
'This is a major milestone in the development of our NOSO-95179 candidate. We aim to start IND-enabling studies in 2018 and launch our first-in-man clinical trial in 2019.'
