Arixa Pharmaceuticals, a company dedicated to the development of oral antibiotics for drug-resistant Gram-negative infections, today announced the closing of $8 million in seed funding, bringing its total capital to $13 million. Current funding has attracted the new participation of prominent family offices as well as existing investors. Upon completion of the funding, the company intends to conduct a Phase 1 human clinical trial of its lead candidate, ARX-1796, the proprietary oral prodrug Avibactam, an FDA-approved beta-lactamase inhibitor, which could previously only be administered by intravenous injection. Arixa anticipates the start of phase 1 clinical trials by mid-2019.
“The most successful antibiotics have been orally available compounds, such as Augmentin and Zithromax; however, a good, new oral antibiotic for resistant Gram-negative infections has not been available in years, and resistance to current agents has become rampant,” said John Freund, MD, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Arixa. “Increased numbers of Gram-negative infections can no longer be treated orally, and patients must be treated in a hospital or an outpatient infusion centre. Our lead candidate is promising to address this urgent and growing medical need. “That’s right.
In preclinical, in vivo models, Avibactam prodrugs of Arixa have been shown to achieve oral absorption of more than 70% in monkeys and 100% in dogs, well above the 30% threshold considered necessary for the development of oral antibiotics. Eric Gordon, PhD, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Arixa, said, “Avibactam is a diazabicyclooctane, or ‘DBO,’ and we have successfully overcome the medical chemistry barriers that have previously complicated the creation of prodrugs for this class of compounds. Since 1984, no oral beta-lactamase inhibitor has been approved which, together with amoxicillin, was the BLI component in Augmentin. Importantly, of the projects we are aware of developing novel oral beta-lactamase inhibitors, ours is the only one whose active ingredient is a FDA-approved compound. We are excited about our progress to date and look forward to the potential start of our Phase 1 study. “That’s right.
Around ARX-1796
ARX-1796 is a proprietary prodrug of Avibactam, the first of a new class of BLI known as diazabicyclooctanes, or “DBOs,” which offers a much wider coverage of beta-lactamase enzymes than clavulanic acid or tazobactam, previously approved beta-lactamase inhibitors. Like other BLIs, Avibactam is designed to protect beta lactam antibiotics such as penicillins and cephalosporins from being destroyed by enzymes that the bacteria produce to defend themselves. Unfortunately, very little Avibactam is absorbed orally, making it unsuitable for oral administration. Avibactam was approved by the FDA as a component of the intravenous-only antibiotic AvyCaz in combination with cephalosporin antibiotic ceftazidime in 2015.
Arixa’s technology has produced several Avibactam prodrugs that show oral absorption levels of more than 70% in monkeys and 100% in dogs. Importantly, unlike other developmental programs for the creation of novel beta-lactamase inhibitors, Arixa’s prodrugs have been shown to deliver an FDA-approved active ingredient into the bloodstream. The company has filed patent claims relating to its unique prodrugs for the broad composition of the matter
Arixa Pharmaceuticals
Arixa Pharmaceuticals develops oral antibiotics for resistant Gram-negative infections, which are urgently needed. The company’s lead candidate, ARX-1796, is the proprietary oral prodrug Avibactam, a broad spectrum beta-lactamase inhibitor recently approved by the FDA. The company’s technology platform applies unique prodrug chemistry to existing intravenous-only antimicrobial agents to allow oral administration of their active ingredients. ARX-1796 is expected to enter phase 1 clinical trials in 2019. Arixa was founded by Eric Gordon, a well-known medicine chemist and antibiotic expert who founded Versicor/Vicuron, and John Freund, founder of Skyline Ventures and co-founder of Intuitive Surgical, a $50 billion public company. For more information about Arixa, please visit https://www Arixapharma: Com/Com
Please note that this piece of work originally appeared in English at https://www.vcnewsdaily.com/Arixa%20Pharmaceuticals/venture-funding.php. As Investocracy aims to bring global startup news and updates in both English and Japanese to you, it’s important that we attribute original source to you. If you have any questions/concerns please write to us at contact@investocracy.co
