Therapyx and Intravacc are optimizing a candidate gonorrhea vaccine following promising results in primates and the granting of a three-year SBIR award by the US NIAID.

The Glasgow-based group has raised more cash to take its new class of anti-infective through Phase IIa trials for C diff-associated disease.

Pivotal trials are underway for two microbiota restoration therapies, a narrow-spectrum antibiotic and a vaccine; funding from non-profits and new owners have revived stalled projects at Summit, Deinove and MGB Biopharma.

Development is most advanced in C. difficile infection, but US FDA's exploration of pathways to expedite single pathogen treatments could spur earlier-stage QIDP projects targeting Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas species.