Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil (SIX: BSLN), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to meeting the needs of patients with severe bacterial and fungal infections, announced  that the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, awarded an additional USD 5.4 million of funding to Basilea to continue the development of the novel oral antibiotic ceftibuten-ledaborbactam etzadroxil, a beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor (BL/BLI) combination, for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs), including pyelonephritis.

David Veitch, Chief Executive Officer of Basilea, said: “We thank BARDA for their continued collaboration and support for the development of novel anti-infectives to help patients with severe infections. This specific funding helps us to further advance our novel antibiotic ceftibuten-ledaborbactam, which addresses the critical unmet need for a new oral treatment of cUTIs caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.”

After this additional funding of USD 5.4 million, a total of USD 30.8 million of funding has been awarded to Basilea by BARDA. The contract^[1] has the potential to provide a total of up to USD 172 million of non-dilutive funding, of which approximately USD 14 million relate to the period prior to novation of the contract to Basilea.

About beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor (BL/BLI) combinations

Many Gram-negative bacteria express enzymes such as extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) that confer resistance against commonly used antibiotics. Beta-lactamase inhibitors block these enzymes and restore the activity of beta-lactam antibiotics against initially resistant Gram-negative bacteria, therefore BL/BLI combinations are an important addition to the armamentarium for the treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens