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Rib-X Pharmaceuticals
USINFO | 2013-08-05 11:16
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| Type | Private company |
| Industry | Pharmaceutical |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Headquarters | New Haven, CT |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Broad-spectrum antibiotics |
| Website | www.rib-x.com |
Rib-X Pharmaceuticals, founded in 2000, is an American privately held biopharmaceutical firm that focuses on the design and development of novel broad-spectrum antibiotics for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections in hospital and community settings. The company is located in New Haven, Connecticut.[1][2] Rib-X seeks to exploit expertise in the structural biology (particularlyribosomal structure) and molecular modeling to design new antibiotics. With this technology they hope to design drug candidates with increased target affinity that overcome bacterial resistance, broadened antibacterial spectrum, and increased efficacy and safety.[2]
Developmental candidates
Pipeline in the clinical phase Rib-X's pipeline includes the following compounds in the clinical phase:
- Delafloxacin, a novel fluoroquinolone with activity against range of quinolone-resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including MRSA, currently in a Phase 2b studys for hospital use.[2] Delafloxacin was acquired from Wakunaga Pharmaceutical in 2006.[3]
- Radezolid, a next-generation oxazolidinone designed for broader spectrum, enhanced potency and improved safety, has completed two Phase 2 studies. It has been shown to overcome linezolid resistance.[4]
The company has several compounds in a pre-clinical program designated RX-04: Three new classes of compounds have been identified that target a novel site on the bacterial 50S ribosomal subunit. These compounds were designed using the Rib-X proprietary approach to rational drug design based on structural analysis of the bacterial ribosome. Compounds have been identified with antibacterial activity against a number of the most difficult to treat, clinically important multi-drug resistant pathogens,[5] including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.[6] In mid-2011 Sanofi entered into a global research collaboration and licensing option with Rib-X Pharmaceuticals to develop and commercialize the novel classes of antibiotics resulting from RX-04.[3]
Rib-X also has three programs in the discovery phase designated RX-02, RX-05, and RX-06. RX-06 is a program to develop anti-fungals.[6]
