BioCentury
ARTICLE | Company News

Entasis Therapeutics, AstraZeneca infectious news

July 13, 2015 7:00 AM UTC

AstraZeneca completed the spinout of its early stage antibiotics programs into stand-alone company Entasis. AZ was the sole investor in the biotech’s $40 million series A round in March.

Entasis’ lead candidate is ETX0914, a benzisoxazole DNA gyrase inhibitor against Neisseria gonorrhoeae that is in Phase II testing to treat uncomplicated gonorrhea. Phase II data is expected in 1Q16. ETX0914 has Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) and Fast Track designations from FDA. Entasis’ preclinical portfolio includes candidates targeting Gram-negative pathogens, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. Entasis plans to submit an IND to begin clinical testing of its preclinical program next year. AZ previously said it will retain its marketed anti-infectives, late-stage small molecule infection programs and the biologic anti-infectives portfolio in its MedImmune LLC unit (see BioCentury, March 2). ...