AstraZeneca Partners With FOB Synthesis To Develop Novel Antibiotic Treatment

Anglo-Swedish company AstraZeneca and privately held US-based FOB Synthesis have entered into collaboration to develop a new antibiotic treatment targeting drug-resistant bacterial infections.

The partnership will focus on combining compounds from both companies’ preclinical programs. AstraZeneca’s preclinical beta lactamase inhibitor (BLI) and FOB’s preclinical carbapenem antibiotic research will be studied together to determine how to break bacteria resistance to carbapenem. Drug resistance has reduced value of efficacy of antibacterial chemotherapy as of late.

Infections caused by drug-resistant microorganisms often lead to prolonged illness, higher treatment costs, and greater risk of death. Highly resistant bacteria such as multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are responsible for a high percentage of hospital-acquired infections, according to the World Health Organization.

FOB Synthesis is currently developing in-house investigational carbapenem antibiotics FSI-1671 and FSI-1686 for treatment of MDR Gram-negative bacterial infection. Carbapenem-resistant (CR) gram-negative bacteria such as E.coli have risen worldwide. Combination of carbapenem with AstraZeneca’s preclinical beta lactamase inhibitor (BLI) could lead to a potential treatment of MDR bacteria.

AstraZeneca has agreed to develop investigational compound combination through Phase I of the option phase. The company has also determined to take on the sole responsibility of developing and commercializing a candidate combination compound through the option phase. This will continue if AstraZeneca chooses to exercise the option. No financial details of the agreement have been disclosed.

FOB Synthesis Chief Executive Woo-Baeg Choi said, “We are pleased with further development of our carbapenem antibiotics in combination of AstraZeneca's BLI program, and we are confident with AstraZeneca's expertise in the anti-infective field for the successful development of this combination therapy.”

FOB Synthesis is a custom synthesis firm focusing on chemistry driven drug discovery. The company develops new therapeutic agents to treat life-threatening infectious diseases. Astra Zeneca is a biopharmaceutical business which develops and commercializes prescription medicines in different fields such as neuroscience, cardiovascular, oncology, and infectious diseases.

Sources:

http://fobsynthesis.com/drug_discovery.htm

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/fob-synthesis-inc-announces-option-195500652.html