Antibiotic specialist Paratek Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ: PRTK) has secured additional funding from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to develop the antibiotic Nuzyra (omadacycline) for anthrax.
Specifically, the latest funding will support Paratek’s program to develop the tetracycline-class antibiotic Nuzyra as a post-exposure prophylaxis and pulmonary anthrax treatment.
The latest BARDA funding will support studies valued at approximately $19 million. Overall, the BARDA contract now has a total value of $340 million.
Last week, Paratek released data related to Nuzyra for treating pneumonia and skin infections.
“Paratek has been studying Nuzyra against select biothreat pathogens for over a decade, and we are excited to build on the promising in vitro and in vivo animal data and advance the pulmonary anthrax development program for treatment and PEP,” said Randy Brenner, chief development and regulatory officer of Paratek, in a statement. “This program is particularly important at a time when antimicrobial resistance is both a national security risk as well as a growing threat to global health.”
The agreement between BARDA and Paratek includes a provision covering the procurement of up to 10,000 treatment courses of Nuzyra for anthrax.
In August, Paratek announced that the FDA had granted Nuzyra orphan drug designation for infections caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria.