Chapel Hill-based biopharmaceutical firm Cempra (Nasdaq: CEMP) will receive another $16 million in federal funding for additional research into developing antibiotics that could prevent young people from being affected in a bioterror attack.
- From WRAL TechWire archive: Cempra CEO on how drug could combat bioterror
Funding from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, dates back to 2013 and a contract awarding some $58 million.
BARDA has expressed interest in antibacterial agents that overcome a possibly more serious danger — terrorist tinkering that can turn dangerous pathogens into deadly drug resistant bioweapons.
The latest $16 million will be used for study costs and “other activities,” Cempra said Wednesday,
Next steps are phase “1B’ and “2/3” clinical trials that will test intravenous, oral capsule and oral suspension forms of “solithromycin” for pediatric patients from newborn to age 17.
Solithromycin is an antibiotic being developed by Cempra.
“In a recently completed Phase 1a study conducted in pediatric patients age 12 to 17 years, solithromycin oral capsules were well tolerated and demonstrated a pharmacokinetic profile similar to that seen in adults,” Cempra noted.
The company is also testing solithromycin in Phase 3 clinical trials for adults against acquired bacterial pneumonia and gonorrhea.
“I am pleased with the progress we are making under our continuing collaborative and constructive BARDA relationship that has resulted in the approval of funding for the next phase of our investigational studies with solithromycin in pediatric patients that is expected to extend our indications,” said Prabhavathi Fernandes, Cemrpa’s CEO.
Cempra already has received $17.7 million which was utilized for a Phase 1a clinical trial of pediatric patients ages 12-17 who had suspected or confirmed bacterial infections.
