Sanofi to research new types of antibiotics
pharmafile | July 6, 2011 | News story | Research and Development | Antibiotics, Rib-X Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi, research and development news
Sanofi has signed a research collaboration with Rib-X Pharmaceuticals to investigate new types of antibiotics.
The French pharma company has taken an option to licence Rib-X’s novel classes of antibiotics in return for an upfront payment of $10 million and further milestones that could be worth more than $186 million per product developed.
The partners aim to produce treatments for multi-drug resistant bacteria, infections from which are responsible for at least 25,000 patient deaths in the European Union each year.
Elias Zerhouni, president of global research and development at Sanofi, said: “The clinical need for new antibiotics is reaching crisis level, yet the antibiotic pipeline is running dry and fewer and fewer companies are working to develop drugs in this space.
“This partnership exemplifies Sanofi’s commitment to translate novel approaches for treatment into patient solutions addressing the global critical need to combat the rising threat of antibiotic drug resistance.”
Rib-X’s RX-04 development programme is focused on the treatment of resistant Gram-positive and resistant Gram-negative pathogens, the two major types of bacteria.
The company is targeting bacterial ribosomes to create an entirely new class of antibiotic therapeutics and has so far produced entirely new families of compounds that have demonstrated efficacy at low, single doses in murine infection models.
Should Sanofi choose to exercise its option under the agreement, US-based Rib-X could be in line for up to $86 million in development and regulatory milestones and over $100 million in commercial milestones payments on a per product basis.
President and chief executive oft Rib-X Pharmaceuticals Mark Leuchtenberger said: “This partnership reflects our shared commitment to staying ahead of the growing problem of antibiotic resistance by delivering new standards of care for patients in need.
“The RX-04 programme’s completely novel classes of antibiotics should lead to true breakthrough therapies and we look forward to working in partnership with Sanofi to advance these treatments into the clinic and eventually bring them to the global market.”
Royalty rates on net sales could reach low double digit figures and Rib-X retains a co-promotion option in the US on one of the molecules coming from the collaboration.
Dominic Tyer
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