CARB-X launched to tackle drug-resistant bacteria

The public-private partnership Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) launched on Thursday with $70 million in committed first-year R&D funding. The five-year program intends to support early preclinical development of new antibiotics, diagnostics and vaccines for drug-resistant bacterial infections. CARB-X said it will begin reviewing funding applications in September.

In its first year, CARB-X aims to focus primarily on therapeutics for Gram-negative bacteria included on the CDC's serious or urgent threat list, as well as "non-traditional approaches." HHS's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) will provide $30 million and the U.K. Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR Centre) will provide $14 million for the first year. ...