With COVID-19 throwing focus on microbes and their interaction with the environment, Boston University based non-profit CARB-X said it is awarding up to $2.5 million (about ₹18 crore) to Bengaluru-based biotech firm GangaGen Biotechnologies, to develop novel antibacterial proteins that could potentially be used to treat multi-drug resistant infections.
These proteins called klebicins, can be used to treat pneumonia caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae , a difficult-to-treat bacteria.
President of GangaGen Biotechnologies Tanjore S Balganesh said: “We are delighted to receive CARB-X’s support to progress the klebicin programme. K. pneumoniae is a hard-to-treat pulmonary pathogen resistant to many of the current antibiotics. Additionally, hypervirulent strains of the pathogen are being isolated in many parts of the globe.”
GangaGen is developing klebicins, which are naturally occurring protein antibiotics, as precision agents to target K. pneumoniae . Klebicins’ novel mechanism of action enables specific killing of the target pathogen without impacting the microbiome, the confluence of helpful microbes usually found in the gut that are necessary for healthy living.
The klebicins have shown potent activity against K. pneumoniae in vivo (animal) studies. The CARB-X award will support further discovery, protein engineering and development of potent klebicins for the treatment of hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by K. pneumoniae .
“GangaGen is researching a highly innovative approach to treat infections caused by multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae , including the carbapenem-resistant and Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBL)-expressing strains of particular clinical concern,” said R&D Chief of CARB-X Erin Duffy. “The project is in the early stages of development and if successful, it could represent progress in the treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.”
K. pneumoniae presents a serious health challenge around the world and is of increasing concern in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where it causes life-threatening infections such as pneumonia and neonatal sepsis.
In addition to supporting project development, the funding will also support collaboration with academic institutions and hospital-based research institutions in India to address the susceptibility of people living in Asia to K. pneumoniae , CARB-X said in a press release.
