CARB-X Secures $370 Million to Pursue New Antibacterial Therapies

CARB-X — the Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator — has secured up to $370 million in funding from the U.S. government and a UK charitable foundation to develop new drugs to combat bacterial infections.

The nonprofit, which is focused on strengthening the pipeline of therapeutics, diagnostics and preventatives for bacterial infections, has secured an initial $20 million in funding from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), with the promise of up to a total of $300 million over the next decade. In addition, the Wellcome foundation will contribute up to $70 million over three years.

CARB-X has four active therapeutics and vaccines projects in early stages of development.

The increase in bacterial resistance to antimicrobials is a constant challenge for the medical community, but antimicrobials attract less private funding than other drugs because they are less profitable, leaving development mostly to governments and charitable groups.