conceptual period

Recipient: Justus Liebig University Giessen
Funding: GO-Bio initial conceptual phase 2nd round (01/10/2021 to 30/09/2022, EUR 119,928.00)

Antibiotics have contributed to extending human life expectancy like no other class of substances. However, this medical achievement is under threat, as many pathogens have developed resistance to most, and in some cases to all antibiotics commonly used in the clinic.

The project BamA inhibitors aims to create a base to develop new antibiotics with promising innovative lead structures for effective, resistance-breaking drugs. BamA is a previously unutilised drug target in the metabolism of bacteria, which is addressed by BamA inhibitors.

In order to enable the development of new, urgently needed antibiotics in the long term, the researchers will develop a commercialisation idea during the conceptual phase that translates current research findings into an innovative concept for a product. In addition, a strategic roadmap will be drawn up, considering both the development of a new antibiotic and the parallel implementation of a screening platform for other new BamA inhibitors. The project therefore contributes to strengthening the life science innovation landscape in Germany in line with the announcement.

feasibility stage

Recipient: Justus Liebig University Giessen
Project volume: GO-Bio initial feasibility phase 2 (01/10/2022 to 30/09/2024, EUR 1,199,136.00)

Antibiotics have contributed like no other class of drugs to extending human life expectancy. However, this medical achievement is jeopardized as many gram-negative pathogens have developed resistance to most, and in some cases all, clinically used antibiotics.

The BamA inhibitor project aims to make an innovative contribution to the development of new antibiotics by developing drug candidates with resistance-breaking properties. The BamA protein is the target structure at the centre of the work, as it is located on the outside of gram-negative bacteria and therefore easily accessible. BamA was considered an unutilised target structure, but previous work has now succeeded in its inhibition, which leads to the death of the bacterial pathogens. BamA inhibitors therefore have great potential to create a new class of antibiotics after many decades.

During the feasibility phase, the production of the most promising drug candidates is supposed to be improved and based on specific tests the so-called lead structure is to be defined. This will then be used to advance clinical testing in future development phases to introduce it to the market as an antibiotic drug eventually.