Medicines Co., Roche land BARDA antibiotics contracts

HHS's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) signed contracts with The Medicines Co. (NASDAQ:MDCO) and Roche (SIX:ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) to treat drug-resistant, Gram-negative infections. BARDA will have joint oversight and share development costs for a portfolio of antibiotics with each company. The agency will collaborate with the companies to make decisions about which products enter or leave the partnership.

Under the Medicines Co. contract, BARDA will first provide $32 million to fund a Phase IIIb trial of the company's Carbavance meropenem/vaborbactam to treat Gram-negative infections in hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (HABP/VABP). Medicines Co. is eligible for an additional $100 million over five years to develop additional antibiotics in the company's portfolio. ...