The AMR Centre set for partnership with Shionogi for new superbug therapy

The AMR Centre Ltd has today announced a landmark agreement with the Japanese pharma company Shionogi to take forward its anti-virulence program, COT-143. The therapy is designed to help the body tackle Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections, a hard to treat drug-resistant pathogen recognised by the WHO as a critical threat to human health.

COT-143 is a novel humanized monoclonal antibody. It does not kill bacteria directly but targets an element that prevents the immune system from acting against the infection. COT-143 has already produced encouraging results in pre-clinical studies and regulatory toxicology tests in preparation for first-in-human clinical trials. The AMR Centre will further develop the program, taking it through a Good Manufacturing Practice clinical manufacturing campaign. It is in discussions about conducting phase one and phase two clinical trials at The Royal Liverpool University Hospital in 2020.

With the completion of this agreement, The AMR Centre, which is based at Alderley Park, Cheshire, will hold the exclusive worldwide right of research, development and manufacturing of COT-143. Shionogi, a global business with headquarters in Osaka, will share in revenues if the project progresses to market.