Lack of Funding Drives Biotech to Suspend Drug-Resistant Antibiotic Pipeline

Despite the increasing need for antibiotics against drug-resistant bacteria, companies are finding it hard to make a play in the field due to lack of funding. Five-year-old X-Biotix announced it is throwing in the towel on its antibacterial research efforts and changing gears for its corporate strategy. 

“This issue is driven by a critical lack of sustained sources of funding to support early-stage research in this field, combined with lack of an appropriate market infrastructure to support the successful commercialization of novel antibiotics,” said Stephen Isaacs, Chairman of X-Biotix.  

After a successful Series A in 2018, X-Biotix was in the process of advancing a novel pipeline of first-in-class programs. Two programs directed against LpxA and LpxC, Gram-negative targets, validated a pathway for which there are currently no antibiotics available.