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CARB-X funds Immunartes to develop Staphylococcus aureus preventative

CARB-X funds Immunartes to develop Staphylococcus aureus preventative

Immunartes’ monoclonal antibody aims to neutralize immune-evasive mechanisms

(BOSTON: January 23, 2025) – Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) will award Immunartes US$729k to develop a monoclonal antibody to prevent infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus.

The antibody is designed to neutralize the pathogen’s immune-evasive mechanisms, thereby enhancing its clearance by the body’s natural immune cells. If successful, the preventative could be a promising solution for providing immediate protection to high-risk populations, preventing colonization, and reducing the likelihood of recurrent disease.

S. aureus is a leading cause of life-threatening bloodstream infections, such as sepsis and endocarditis, and is responsible for more than 1 million deaths annually. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is a primary contributor to deaths related to antimicrobial resistance.

Staphylococcus aureus, particularly its methicillin-resistant form (MRSA), remains one of the most critical drivers of antimicrobial resistance worldwide,” said Erin Duffy, PhD, Chief of R&D, CARB-X. “Immunartes’ approach represents a new way to prevent invasive disease caused by S. aureus, which was identified in our 2023 Strategic Portfolio Review as a top priority.”

“We are thrilled to join the CARB-X portfolio and to receive this support for our vision to combat antimicrobial-resistant Staphylococcus aureus through the development of a unique monoclonal antibody,” said Vilasack Thammavongsa, PhD, CEO of Immunartes.

In March 2024, CARB-X launched a new funding solicitation to fill major R&D gaps in the global antibiotic development pipeline. More than 300 Expressions of Interest were accepted in four distinct product themes: therapeutics for infections caused by Gram-negative pathogens, prevention of invasive disease, diagnostics for neonatal sepsis, and proof-of-concept for novel sample types for diagnosing lower-respiratory tract infections. Additional projects are under review, and new awards will be announced later this year. Register for the CARB-X newsletter to learn about upcoming funding calls that will be announced in 2025.

When CARB-X was founded in 2016, the early-stage antibiotic pipeline was stalled. Since its inception, CARB-X has supported 109 R&D projects in 13 countries, and CARB-X product developers have made significant progress: 18 projects have advanced into or completed clinical trials; 12 remain active in clinical development, including late-stage clinical trials; and two diagnostic products have reached the market. Additionally, at least 9 product developers with active R&D projects have already secured advanced development partnerships to support their clinical development after leaving the CARB-X portfolio. All CARB-X-funded product developers are contractually obligated to develop a Stewardship and Access Plan for their product, outlining strategies to ensure responsible stewardship and appropriate access in low- and middle-income countries.

CARB-X is funded in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) under agreement number 75A50122C00028 and by awards from Wellcome (WT224842), Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the UK Department of Health and Social Care’s Global Antimicrobial Resistance Innovation Fund (GAMRIF), the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in HHS, provides support in the form of in-kind services through access to a suite of preclinical services for product development. The content of this press release is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of any CARB-X funders.

CARB-X Contact: Marissa Novelcarbxpr@bu.edu

Immunartes Contact: Vilasack Thammavongsa, info@immunartes.com 

About CARB-X

CARB-X (Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator) is a global non-profit partnership dedicated to supporting early-stage antibacterial research and development to address the rising threat of drug-resistant bacteria. CARB-X supports innovative therapeutics, preventatives and rapid diagnostics. CARB-X is led by Boston University and funded by a consortium of governments and foundations. CARB-X funds only projects that target drug-resistant bacteria highlighted on the CDC’s Antibiotic Resistant Threats list, or the Priority Bacterial Pathogens list published by the WHO, with a priority on those pathogens deemed Serious or Urgent on the CDC list or Critical or High on the WHO list. https://carb-x.org/ | X (formerly Twitter) @CARB_X

About Immunartes

Immunartes is a biotechnology company based out of Chicago, Illinois, that is innovating vaccines and therapeutics against Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that colonizes one-third of the world’s population.This bacterium poses a world-health crisis by taking the form​ of MRSA, a dangerous superbug resistant to antibiotic treatment. Learn more by visiting the Immunartes website at www.immunartes.com or social media pages on LinkedIn and X.

About BARDA and NIAID

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services works to enhance and protect the health and well-being of all Americans, providing for effective health and human services and fostering advances in medicine, public health, and social services. The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) leads the nation’s medical and public health preparedness for, response to and recovery from disaster and other public health emergencies. Within ASPR, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) invests in innovation, advanced research and development, acquisition, and manufacturing of medical countermeasures – vaccines, drugs, therapeutics, diagnostic tools, and non-pharmaceutical products – needed to combat health security threats. BARDA is one of the leading public sector funders of advanced development of antimicrobial therapeutics and diagnostics worldwide, having invested more than $2.4 billion in antimicrobial products since 2010. This investment has supported the development of over 160 antimicrobial products and led to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of four new antibiotics and FDA 510(k) clearance of eight diagnostics.

About Wellcome 

Wellcome supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. We support discovery research into life, health and wellbeing, and we’re taking on three worldwide health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate and health.

About the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

Education and research are crucial foundations for our future. Thus, the promotion of education, science and research is a policy priority of the German Federal Government. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) strengthens education at all stages of life and provides support for scientific research and innovation.

About the Global AMR Innovation Fund (GAMRIF)

The Global AMR Innovation Fund (GAMRIF) is a One Health aid fund that supports research and development around the world to reduce the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in humans, animals and the environment for the benefit of people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). GAMRIF core objectives are to develop innovative One Health solutions to tackle AMR; increase availability of context-specific, accessible, and affordable innovations for LMICs; establish international research partnerships with industry, academia, and governments; and collaborate with and leverage additional funding from other global donors.

About the Public Health Agency of Canada

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), established in 2004, is responsible for public health, emergency preparedness and response, and infectious and chronic disease control and prevention.  Its mission is to improve the health of all people and communities in Canada by addressing public health priorities through science, innovation, service delivery, and collaborative action. The Agency collaborates closely with all levels of government, non-government organizations, and international partners to build an effective public health system. PHAC has a strong history of addressing health threats, including collaboration on a One Health approach to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). As part of the recently launched Pan-Canadian Action Plan on AMR 2023-2027, PHAC is piloting an economic pull-incentive project to increase access to essential antimicrobial drugs not yet authorized in Canada to address priority unmet public health needs.

About the Novo Nordisk Foundation

Established in Denmark in 1924, the Novo Nordisk Foundation is an enterprise foundation with philanthropic objectives. The vision of the Foundation is to improve people’s health and the sustainability of society and the planet. The Foundation’s mission is to progress research and innovation in the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic and infectious diseases as well as to advance knowledge and solutions to support a green transformation of society.

www.novonordiskfonden.dk/en

About Boston University 

Founded in 1839, Boston University is an internationally recognized institution of higher education and research. With nearly 37,000 students, it is one of the largest private residential universities in the United States. BU consists of 17 schools and colleges, along with the Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences and a number of multi-disciplinary centers and institutes integral to the University’s research and teaching mission. In 2012, BU joined the Association of American Universities (AAU), a consortium of leading research universities in the United States and Canada. For further information, please contact Kim Miragliuolo at kmira@bu.eduwww.bu.edu