Euprotec Collaborat?es with Cantab Anti-Infec?tives to Develop Novel Antibiotic?s

Euprotec Ltd, a specialty life sciences and drug discovery CRO, has entered into an alliance with Cantab Anti-infectives as they seek to develop improved antibiotics to treat multidrug resistant Gram negative bacterial infections.

Euprotec will assist in accelerating Cantab’s drug development programme following its £2.3m funding award from the Technology Strategy Board’s Biomedical Catalyst. The goal of the programme is to develop improved therapeutics based on the polymyxin core. Polymyxins are an important class of antibiotics with a unique and important target and are currently viewed as a last resort when treating severe infections due to multidrug resistant Gram negative bacteria. The polymyxins have advanced little since they were developed more than 50 years ago and this funding provides an important opportunity to generate a drug with an improved therapeutic index and lower propensity for development of resistance.

Euprotec will provide Cantab with its microbiology expertise and resources to facilitate the rapid identification and optimisation of a new drug candidate. The company will use its specialist biology platform combined with its highly characterised collection of bacteria in order to optimise the potency and efficacy of new compounds. The approach will allow profiling of PKPD parameters to permit translation of preclinical data to clinical trials.

Dr Lloyd Payne, chief executive of Euprotec said: “We are thrilled that Cantab has selected Euprotec as its infectious disease biology partner for this programme. Multidrug resistant Gram negative bacterial infections pose an enormous threat, and we look forward to working with Cantab to realise the exciting potential of their antibiotic platform.”

Dr Mike Dawson, chief executive of Cantab said: “We selected Euprotec as our primary biology partner for this programme due to its strong reputation for delivery in the infectious disease therapeutic area as well as the depth and breadth of their portfolio and expertise.

“The specialist knowledge and technical skills that Euprotec provides will supplement our in-house research team perfectly and we are looking forward to working with them as we progress our discovery and development programme.”