Project description
Novel peptide-based antibiotics against drug-resistant bacteria
Israel-based Omnix Medical is developing novel antibiotic agents for the treatment of infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria. The company’s proprietary platform technology is changing the biodegradability of antimicrobial peptides, creating a new class of antibiotics with a unique mechanism of action, which is effective regardless of underlying resistance patterns. The goal of the EU-funded OMN6 project is to demonstrate clinical safety and efficacy in the treatment of deadly nosocomial Acinetobacter baumannii infections. To that end, it will support Omnix Medical in the commercialisation of its lead antibiotic candidate, which has already made it past the proof-of-concept stage.
Objective
We are in living in times where the efficacy of antibiotics is no longer guaranteed. Despite the urgent need to mitigate the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), very few antibiotics are being developed. AMR management costs €1.5 B and causes 33,000 deaths each year in the EU.
We at Omnix are determined to change lives and repopulate drug development pipelines by demonstrating clinical efficacy of a novel class of antibiotics. We have made potent antimicrobial peptides found in nature druggable, by hampering their biodegradability using our proprietary platform technology. The results are highly selective, life-saving therapies which are safe to humans. These bioengineered peptides constitute a new class of antibiotics due to their unique mechanism of action, which remains effective regardless of underlying resistance patterns.
We intend to solve the most urgent clinical need in infectious disease management by targeting drug resistant pathogens topping the WHO’s priority list. The project will demonstrate clinical safety and efficacy in treating A. baunmannii infections. This top-most critical pathogen exerts a mortality rate of ~40%. We have already successfully established a preclinical proof of concept for our lead candidate. Commercialisation is planned to take place with a partner from the pharma sector. The deal size is predicted to be €150-250 and conservative estimates on sales forecast revenues around €50 M five years after launch. Revenues will be reinvested into developing antibiotics for other critical pathogens and into scaling Omnix to over 150 employees.
Our approach has the potential to make a significant impact on the global AMR challenge, as we base our drug design on peptides that have remained effective for millions of years, demonstrating a low risk of trigger emergence of new resistance. Treating infections with such potent natural defenses will constitute a true paradigm shift in infections disease management.
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug discovery
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinemedicinal chemistry
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomolecules
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsantibiotics
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug resistanceantibiotic resistance
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2Coordinator
9270401 Jerusalem
Israel
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.