Award to support development of synthetic darobactin analogues, a novel antibiotic class derived from a naturally occurring compound
(BOSTON: November 12, 2026) – Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) is awarding US$853k to UNSW Sydney to support the development of synthetic darobactin analogues, a new class of antibiotic designed to kill multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.
UNSW, in partnership with Donum Therapeutics, is applying structure-guided chemistry to re-engineer darobactin into a more potent molecule suitable for treating patients. Darobactin is a naturally occurring peptide antibiotic that was first reported in 2019. It was discovered in Photorhabdus bacteria associated with insect-hunting nematodes as part of bioprospecting efforts to identify new antibiotics from natural sources.
Darobactin kills Gram-negative bacteria by binding to BamA, a novel antibiotic target found in the bacterial outer membrane and involved in outer membrane biogenesis. Because no antibiotics on the market target BamA, darobactin retains activity against multidrug-resistant isolates and shows no cross-resistance with existing antibiotic classes.
CARB-X will support efforts to advance UNSW’s synthetic darobactin platform towards further understanding its potential to deliver potent broad-spectrum Gram-negative antibiotics.
“Cross resistance is one of the greatest treatment challenges posed by multidrug-resistant bacteria. When a single genetic change can render an entire class of medications ineffective, doctors can quickly run out of options to treat serious infections, and patient outcomes suffer. New antibiotic classes, like darobactin, can introduce new ways of targeting bacteria and may avoid cross resistance with existing antibiotics,” said Richard Alm, PhD, Chief of Research and Development at CARB-X. “This award reflects our commitment to supporting innovative approaches aimed at treating some of the most dangerous bacterial infections facing patients worldwide.”
“This support will enable UNSW and Donum Therapeutics to advance the discovery of a new class of antibiotics — reimagining nature’s own molecules through chemistry in a bid to treat drug-resistant infections that current therapies can no longer defeat,” said Principal Investigator Dr. Bryson Hawkins from UNSW Medicine & Health.
Recent estimates project that AMR could cause 39 million deaths over the next 25 years. However, a regular release of new, potent antibiotics targeting Gram-negative bacteria could save 11.1 million lives, especially in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) in regions including South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia and Oceania, and sub-Saharan Africa.
CARB-X is funded by 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), the UK Department of Health and Social Care’s Global Antimicrobial Resistance Innovation Fund (GAMRIF), the Gates Foundation, Germany’s Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Public Health Agency of Canada, (PHAC), Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), Japan’s Ministry of Health, the European Commission’s DG Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (DG HERA), and KfW Development Bank. 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 publication is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of any CARB-X funders.
CARB-X Contact: Marissa Novel, carbxpr@bu.edu
UNSW Contact: Kate Burke, kate.burke@unsw.edu.au
About CARB-X
CARB-X (Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator) is the world’s leading non-profit partnership accelerating the research and development of innovative products to prevent, diagnose and treat bacterial infections and address the global threat of antimicrobial resistance. CARB-X pairs non-dilutive funding with comprehensive technical and scientific support, resulting in supported projects being five times more likely to advance into clinical development than comparable projects that did not receive CARB-X support. Since 2016, CARB-X has supported 125 R&D projects in 15 countries, and CARB-X product developers have made significant progress: 29 projects have already advanced into or completed clinical trials. Its portfolio strategically focuses on the pathogens and syndromes responsible for the greatest burden of bacterial disease globally, including those disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries. 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 headquartered at Boston University and funded by a consortium of governments and foundations that all recognize the urgent global public health threat posed by antimicrobial resistance. https://carb-x.org/
About UNSW Sydney
UNSW Sydney is a global top 20 university, committed to improving lives through world-class education and high-impact research. A member of the prestigious Group of Eight (Go8), UNSW empowers tomorrow’s leaders to transform their talent and passion into careers that shape a better future.
The University has an international reputation for breakthroughs in areas such as health and equity, climate action, renewable energy and quantum technologies. UNSW’s mission is to make a positive impact by turning research into real-world solutions – advancing knowledge, transforming lives and driving progress for all. https://www.unsw.edu.au/ | LinkedIn
About Donum Therapeutics
Donum Therapeutics is a privately held company based in Princeton, New Jersey founded by Kim Lewis, Phil Baran and David Pompliano. Donum discovers and develops small molecule agents to treat infections caused by bacterial and fungal pathogens.
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 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 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 $2.7 billion in antimicrobial products since 2010. This investment has supported the development of over 190 antimicrobial products and led to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of six new antibiotics and FDA 510(k) clearance of 10 diagnostics.
As part of HHS, NIH is the primary U.S. federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. NIAID conducts and supports research — at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide — to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses.
About Wellcome
Wellcome is a global philanthropy working to build a healthier future for everyone. We are committed to investing £16 billion in our mission between 2022 and 2032.
We support discovery research and we’re taking on three worldwide health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate and health.
Our independence and long-term resources allow us to think in decades, take risks and support ambitious ideas. We work with decision makers to enable evidence-informed choices that support science and health. We connect science with people’s lives through public debate, stories and cultural experiences – including Wellcome Collection: our free museum and library exploring the past, present and future of health.
About the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space and Research (BMFTR)
Research and innovation are the foundations for our future. The promotion of science and research by BMFTR represents an important contribution to securing Germany’s prosperity. Research is a German Federal Government policy priority, which is reflected in the development of the funding it is making available to these fields.
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 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 the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Italy
The Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) performs the functions and tasks incumbent on the State in matters of economic and financial policy, budgeting, public investment planning and public debt management. The Ministry’s activities include coordinating and monitoring public spending and its trends, tax policies and the tax system and state assets. Moreover, the Ministry represents the Italian Government in the main European and international economic and financial fora, performs functions related to global governance and international financial cooperation, maintains relations with international economic, monetary, and financial institutions (such as the IMF, OECD, and Multilateral Development Banks), and negotiates and concludes international agreements and treaties with economic and financial content.
About the Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW)
MHLW is a ministry of the Government of Japan whose missions are to improve and promote social welfare, social security, and public health in order to secure and improve the livelihoods of the people and contribute to economic development. Recognizing the urgent global public health threat posed by AMR, MHLW has been supporting various domestic and international efforts to advance research and development of antimicrobials. MHLW has committed to providing contributions to CARB-X from 2024 to 2026.
About the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (DG HERA)
The European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (DG HERA) is responsible for ensuring the availability and accessibility of medical countermeasures needed to respond to cross-border health threats and emergencies. It plays a central role in strengthening the EU’s preparedness and resilience against antimicrobial resistance and other health threats, by enhancing threat intelligence, accelerating innovation, boosting manufacturing capacity and ensuring availability, and equitable access to and distribution of medical countermeasures.
About KfW Development Bank
KfW is one of the world’s leading promotional banks and a key implementing partner of the German Federal Government. It finances and manages programmes that foster sustainable economic and social development and strengthen global health security, including through support for public–private partnerships and innovation in medical countermeasures.
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 Meridith St. Jean at stjean28@bu.edu. www.bu.edu