BioVersys Partners with Hackensack Meridian Health to Advance Novel Ansamycin Antibiotics for Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria
Key Insights
BioVersys (search) has entered an exclusive collaboration and license agreement with Hackensack Meridian Health to jointly develop ansamycin antimicrobial candidates targeting difficult-to-treat non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections.
The partnership combines BioVersys (search)' proprietary Ansamycin Chemistry platform with advanced lead molecules from HMH's Center for Discovery and Innovation, strengthening the pool of orally bioavailable anti-NTM candidates.
NTM pulmonary disease affects approximately 250,000 people annually with current cure rates as low as 30-50%, representing a significant unmet medical need for vulnerable populations including cystic fibrosis patients.
BioVersys (search) AG, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on multi-drug resistant bacterial infections, has announced an exclusive collaboration and license agreement with Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH) to advance novel ansamycin antimicrobial candidates for treating non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections. The partnership combines expertise from both organizations to address one of the most challenging bacterial diseases to cure.
Strategic Partnership Strengthens Anti-NTM Pipeline
The collaboration brings together BioVersys (search)' proprietary Ansamycin Chemistry platform, developed through research teams in Lille, France and Basel, Switzerland, with advanced lead molecules from HMH's Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI). The platform has already produced several highly potent and orally bioavailable broad-spectrum anti-NTM lead candidates with demonstrated in vitro and in vivo activity, currently being progressed toward candidate selection with Shionogi (search) as part of the BV500 (search) program.
The addition of novel ansamycin chemistry and advanced lead molecules developed by Dr. Thomas Dick and Dr. Véronique Dartois at HMH's CDI, in collaboration with Dr. Courtney Aldrich at the University of Minnesota, further strengthens BioVersys (search)' platform and expands the pool of potently active orally bioavailable anti-NTM leads.
Under the agreement, the parties will jointly profile and develop ansamycin candidates originating from HMH, with HMH eligible to receive upfront and near-term payments as well as royalties on future sales.
Addressing a Silent Crisis in Infectious Disease
Non-tuberculous mycobacteria are ubiquitous environmental bacteria whose common clinical manifestation is pulmonary disease, caused most frequently by Mycobacterium avium complex (search) (MAC) and Mycobacterium abscessus (search) subspecies (MAB). NTM pulmonary disease affects approximately 250,000 people per year, predominantly in North America and Asia.
Treatment of NTM infections presents significant challenges due to variable intrinsic bacterial susceptibility, acquired resistance to commonly used antimicrobial agents, lengthy therapy duration of at least 12 months, and adverse effects associated with current treatment options. Macrolide-based triple drug regimens, plus aminoglycosides for chronic or relapsing infections, are considered only moderately effective for treating MAC, while no therapy of predictable efficacy exists for treating MAB, a pathogen associated with up to 50% mortality.
Current cure rates for NTM lung disease are as low as 30-50%, highlighting the urgent need for more effective therapeutic options. Particularly vulnerable populations include those with preexisting conditions such as cystic fibrosis, other lung diseases, and immunocompromised patients who are more easily colonized.
Growing Burden Among Vulnerable Populations
The incidence of NTM infections among people living with cystic fibrosis has increased dramatically from 3.3% to 22.6%, with MAB becoming a more prominent pathogen. This trend is particularly concerning given that approximately 105,000 people are known to be living with cystic fibrosis, and an estimated 400 million patients worldwide have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
"NTM infections remain a 'silent' crisis for patients with chronic lung conditions, who often face grueling, year-long treatments with limited success," said Dr. Thomas Dick, Professor at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. "By merging our CDI discoveries with BioVersys (search)' clinical expertise, we are moving closer to providing these patients with the potent, oral therapeutic options they have been waiting for."
Leadership Perspectives on the Collaboration
Dr. Marc Gitzinger, CEO at BioVersys (search), emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership: "Early-stage partnerships with leading institutes and health centers from around the world grants us access to the best science to strengthen our Ansamycin Chemistry platform from which we aim to develop new clinical candidates. This collaboration emphasizes our determination to tackle NTM diseases, which are some of the most difficult bacterial diseases to cure."
Dr. Ihor Sawczuk, President of Research, Academics, and Innovation at Hackensack Meridian Health, highlighted the partnership's potential: "This partnership has huge potential for a growing health problem, and the CDI's breakthroughs are complemented perfectly by the aptitude of BioVersys (search)."
Broader Context of Antimicrobial Resistance
The collaboration addresses antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which represents a major global health threat as currently available therapeutics become increasingly obsolete. This challenge is particularly acute for NTM lung disease, where chronic treatments lasting 12-24 months often lead to resistance development.
The BV500 (search) program, which arose from a successful collaboration within the SmartLab public-private partnership with the University of Lille (search), has received funding support and expertise access from the CF AMR Syndicate and the EU IHI funded RespiriNTM programme, demonstrating that efficient antibiotic research benefits from collaborative approaches.
About the Organizations
BioVersys (search) AG is a multi-asset, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on identifying, developing and commercializing novel antibacterial products for serious life-threatening infections caused by multi-drug resistant bacteria. The company's most advanced research and development programs address nosocomial infections of Acinetobacter baumannii (search) (BV100, Phase 3) and tuberculosis (alpibectir, Phase 2, in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline).
Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading US not-for-profit healthcare network and the largest in New Jersey, operating 18 hospitals and 500+ care locations with over 40,000 team members. The Center for Discovery and Innovation houses more than 34 laboratories and 200+ professional researchers and physician-scientists focused on cancer, infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders, and other acute and chronic diseases.