GARDP and Bugworks collaborate to assess safety of new antibiotic compound

The Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) and Bugworks are collaborating on a study to assess the safety and tolerability of a new class of broad-spectrum antibiotic compounds aimed at treating serious infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Bugworks, which has its research and development base in Bangalore, India, is currently conducting a First-in-Human (Phase 1) study in Adelaide, Australia, to determine the safety and tolerability of BWC0977, a novel antibiotic compound. It is aimed at treating patients with serious bacterial infections in both critical care and community settings. The Phase 1 study is being supported by CARB-X, a global non-profit partnership accelerating antibacterial products to address drug-resistant bacteria.

GARDP is providing support for a cardiac safety study embedded in the ongoing Phase 1 study that will provide a robust assessment of the cardiovascular risk of the compound. The study will provide a more precise indicator for the molecule’s propensity to cause arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat), which is a side effect of some classes of antibiotics. This will help with decision-making and acceleration of clinical development of this compound.

“Through innovative collaborations, such as the one with Bugworks, we can work towards averting a global crisis of antibiotic resistance. We are also pleased to assess Australia’s expertise and infrastructure for the testing of new therapeutics in Phase I clinical trials,” said François Franceschi, GARDP’s Project Lead for Serious Bacterial Infections.

The support of the cardiac safety study follows a memorandum of understanding signed by GARDP and Bugworks in August 2020 to accelerate the development and availability of antibiotic treatments.

Anand Anandkumar, co-founder and CEO of Bugworks Research said, “Our ultimate aim is to develop a highly differentiated drug which could be used in all regions of the world that urgently need innovative solutions to tackle drug-resistant superbugs.”  Bugworks is an AMR drug discovery company with operations in Australia, India, and the US, which aims to discover novel treatment options for serious drug-resistant bacterial infections.

The compound belongs to a novel class of chemicals with pre-clinical evidence of broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. The compound is being investigated because of its potential to treat several conditions, including bloodstream infections, urinary tract infections, intra-abdominal infections and pneumonia. In addition, there is potential for the development of both an oral and an intravenous formulation for BWC0977.