Wockhardt Limited has announced that its novel antibiotic, WCK 6777 (Ertapenem/Zidebactam), has been granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), including pyelonephritis, and complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI). This designation follows the successful completion of a Phase I study conducted by the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID) at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States.
Phase I Trial Results
The Phase I study involved 52 healthy volunteers in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple-ascending dose trial. Participants received intravenous doses of WCK 6777 higher than the anticipated clinical dose over 7 days. The results indicated a promising safety profile, with WCK 6777 (up to 3 grams + 3 grams daily) being well-tolerated. No serious or unexpected adverse events were reported, and no subjects withdrew due to treatment-related adverse events. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed consistent exposure levels of both ertapenem and zidebactam, with no significant interactions observed when co-administered daily.
Mechanism and Therapeutic Potential
WCK 6777 is a once-a-day, β-lactam enhancer-based antibiotic designed for outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) in ambulatory settings. It is active against a range of meropenem-resistant Gram-negative pathogens commonly encountered in both community and hospital settings for UTIs and IAIs. This therapeutic option is expected to reduce hospital admissions, facilitate early patient discharge, and offer patient-centered care for multi-drug resistant (MDR) infections.
Addressing Unmet Needs
The FDA's Fast Track designation highlights the potential of WCK 6777 to address significant unmet medical needs in treating complicated UTIs and intra-abdominal infections. In 2019, there were an estimated 404.61 million cases of UTIs globally, resulting in 236,790 deaths. In the U.S., approximately 1 in 100 adults experience a cUTI each year, leading to about 2.8 million cases and annualized costs exceeding $6 billion. There are 600,000 hospital admissions for cUTIs annually in the U.S., with each episode costing an average of $9,441.
Wockhardt's Antibiotic Pipeline
Wockhardt is actively developing several new antibiotics to combat difficult-to-treat, drug-resistant bacterial infections that contribute to antimicrobial resistance (AMR)-linked mortality and morbidity. WCK 6777 is uniquely positioned to cater to the vast unmet need in managing infections outside the hospital setting. Wockhardt now has a portfolio of six products at various stages of clinical development and commercialization, each granted Qualified Infectious Disease Product status by the USFDA. The company’s flagship antibiotic, Zaynich (Cepefime/Zidebactam), is currently undergoing a global Phase 3 study for extreme-drug resistant Gram-negative infections.
