The Novo Nordisk Foundation today announced a $25 million, 3-year grant to CARB-X (the Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator) to support early-stage development of products to treat, prevent, and diagnose antibiotic-resistant infections.
The funding will help CARB-X continue the work it's been doing since 2016, when the public-private partnership was launched at Boston University. CARB-X identifies promising products—including antibiotics, vaccines, and diagnostic tools—targeting some of the most difficult-to-treat bacterial pathogens and provides funding to help move those products from basic research through phase 1 clinical trials. Since 2016, CARB-X has funded 93 projects in 12 countries, 19 of which have advanced into or completed clinical trials.
"Like CARB-X, the Novo Nordisk Foundation is committed to driving innovation in the fight against drug-resistant infections," Peter Lawaetz Andersen, Senior Vice President in Infectious Disease at the Foundation, said in a press release. "By partnering, we can help ensure that the best research gets translated into effective, scalable and affordable medical interventions that can help end this growing pandemic."
CARB-X Executive Director Kevin Outterson, JD, called the Novo Nordisk Foundation a "key ally" in its mission.
"This new funding is a testament to our shared commitment to supporting the pioneering efforts of antibacterial product developers, mainly university spinoffs and small biotech companies, in advancing much-needed innovation to prevent, diagnose, and treat the most dangerous drug-resistant bacterial infections," he said.
By partnering, we can help ensure that the best research gets translated into effective, scalable and affordable medical interventions that can help end this growing pandemic.