The University has been awarded an initial grant of £250K to help develop antibiotics for multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria.
Currently, MDR bacteria are one of the most dangerous threats to human health. Typically, MDR bacteria are associated with infections that originated or were acquired in a hospital.
The University’s Centre for Antimicrobial Pharmacodynamics (CAP) has been awarded the funds by Spero Therapeutics (Massachusetts, USA) for the development of a new antibiotic (SPR206).
Pharmacodynamics
Antimicrobial pharmacodynamics is the branch of pharmacology that examines how a drug affects bacteria and is a requirement for the development of drug treatments.
Initial research suggests this new antibiotic may be safer and just as effective as colistin, which is currently a last resort for treatment of MDR bacteria in the NHS as it is frequently toxic.
The research will be led by Professor William Hope and Dr Shampa Das.
Support
The discovery of SPR206 and its preclinical development is being supported by the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.
Spero Therapeutics is a global, multi-asset, clinical-stage bio-pharmaceutical company. Their mission is to become a leader in the field of antibiotics.
Of the award Professor Hope said: “This funding will help support further work of the CAP, where the principal task is to identify regimens to take into first-in-patient clinical studies.”
For more information about the University’s Centre for Centre for Antimicrobial Pharmacodynamics please visit www.liverpool.ac.uk/apt
For more information about Spero Therapeutics can be found here https://sperotherapeutics.com/about/