Biotechs Battle Bacteria
This article was originally published in Start Up
Executive Summary
The rise in bacterial resistance has prompted a plethora of creative approaches to developing antibiotics. These range from finding completely novel targets to harnessing the body's own immune system to fight bacteria. And although biotechs have had the anti-bacterials space to themselves for the last few years, as more programs reach proof of concept, some Big Pharma may be showing signs of renewed interest.
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Inimex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
The basis for Inimex's pipeline was born a few years ago when company founders teamed up to investigate small cationic peptides as antimicrobials for the Canadian Bacterial Diseases Network. They found that some cationic peptides didn't kill bacteria, but had the ability to prevent or treat infection in animal models. The trio led a team to concentrate on a unique expression profile that activated innate response without stimulating inflammation, and that research forms the foundation of the company's current portfolio of compounds that selectively boost immunity.
AureoGen Biosciences Inc.
Formed by Kalamazoo-based Pharmacia alumni, AureoGen Biosciences Inc. is genetically engineering cyclic peptides to create second-generation, resistance-proof anti-infective and anti-fungal therapeutics.