Alissa Eckert / CDC
The Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership (GARDP) and Swiss biopharmaceutical company Debiopharm today announced a collaboration on a novel antibiotic targeting gonorrhea.
Under the collaboration and license agreement, GARDP and Debiopharm will jointly develop Debio1453, a first-in-class antibiotic candidate that targets an enzyme that’s essential for the growth of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and has shown potent clinical activity against the bacterium in preclinical studies, including multidrug-resistant strains.
In a news release, Debiopharm said it will be in charge of completing the phase 1 clinical trial for Debio1453, and GARDP will lead other clinical and non-clinical development activities. GARDP will receive rights to manufacture and commercialize the drug in more than 160 countries.
“The confirmation of this partnership is a powerful indicator of Debio1453’s potential to replenish a critically depleted antibacterial pipeline, addressing a severe therapeutic gap,” said Morgane Vanbiervliet, PhD, director of global development and licensing for Debiopharm. “For those struggling with multidrug-resistant gonorrhoea, this agreement signals a decisive step toward restoring effective treatment options and ensuring long-term antibiotic sustainability.”
More antibiotics for gonorrhea needed
The collaboration comes on the heels of the US Food and Drug Administration’s approval of two new antibiotics for gonorrhea, zoliflodacin and gepotidacin—the first new antibiotics approved for gonorrhea in decades. Zoliflodacin was jointly developed by GARDP and Innoviva Specialty Therapeutics.
The approvals may prove critical, as N gonorrhoeae, which has developed resistance to all antibiotics used to treat it, is growing increasingly resistant to ceftriaxone, the last remaining recommended treatment. GARDP and Debiopharm say the new partnership will help ensure that the estimated 82 million gonorrhea cases a year globally have effective treatment options.
“It is great to see a Swiss for-profit and a Swiss non-profit working together to develop an innovative new solution to address gonorrhoea and explore opportunities in other areas,” said GARDP executive director Manica Balasegaram, MRCP, MSc.