Polymyxin Analog for IV Treatment of Multi-Drug Resistant Gram-neg Bacteria
Scott Hecker
SVP of Chemistry and Clinical Development, QPEX Biopharma
As multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacterial infections become increasingly prevalent in hospitals around the world, the need for new agents to treat them grows ever larger. The lack of effective treatments has spawned the return to common use of older antibiotics from the polymyxin class, despite a high incidence of drug-induced kidney damage in patients receiving them. To address this problem, researchers at Monash University (Australia) pursued a program to identify a safer synthetic polymyxin analog. These efforts culminated in the new agent QPX9003, now being developed by Qpex Biopharma. Aspects of the manufacture of this N-acylated cyclic decapeptide will be presented.