Nosopharm, a France-based biotechnology company specialized in the R&D of new antibacterial molecules, has been selected to join European Gram-negative Antibacterial Engine (ENABLE), a project working to advance the development of potential antibiotics against multidrug resistant Gram-negative infections.

ENABLE is one of seven projects in the New Drugs For Bad Bugs (ND4BB) consortium, part of the Innovative Medicines Initiative’s (IMI’s) antibiotic resistance program. The €100 million ($106 million) project aims to identify at least three antibacterial lead molecules with promising antibacterial activity, two antibacterial clinical candidate molecules and to enter at least one compound into preclinical and phase I clinical studies.

Nosopharm will strengthen ENABLE’s R&D portfolio as it brings the most advanced program to date to the project: NOSO-95179, a first-in-class antibiotic for the treatment of multidrug-resistant hospital-acquired infections. Participation in the project will allow Nosopharm to access significant technical expertise and financial support to complete a phase I clinical trial. ENABLE will fund 75% of Nosopharm’s internal R&D costs while the program is active. Nosopharm will also participate in collaborative research with ENABLE’s expert partners across Europe. The project will strengthen the company’s IP as all NOSO-95179 results will be owned by Nosopharm.

Its selection brings encouraging recognition from global anti-infective experts for NOSO-95179 as a promising antibacterial preclinical candidate for the treatment of life-threatening multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections. Nosopharm also will benefit from the guidance of ENABLE-active members in the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA).

Hospital pathogens with multiple antibiotic resistances are responsible for at least 380,000 infections and 25,000 directly related deaths per year in the European Union. The annual treatment and social costs have been estimated at some €1.5 billion ($1.59 billion). From a global perspective, antimicrobial resistance could kill up to 10 million people every year by 2050 and could cost $100 trillion to the world economy.