GSK and Wellcome Trust partner to target drug-resistant infections

UK-headquartered GlaxoSmithKline, the world's second largest drugmaker by sales, and The Wellcome Trust, the global number two medical charity, are to collaborate on the development of a new class of antibacterials to combat the rise of certain drug-resistant hospital-acquired infections. The collaboration is part of the Wellcome Trust's Seeding Drug Discovery initiative, aimed at tackling unmet medical needs.

GSK has received a L4.0 million ($8.0 million) award from the Trust to accelerate development of compounds for the treatment of Gram-negative bacteria which are becoming increasingly resistant to multiple antibacterials. The drug firm will make a matching contribution in staff, equipment and other program costs and the Trust will receive a financial consideration on any commercial product resulting from the accord.

"Our ability to tackle drug-resistant infections is reaching crisis level with few new antimicrobial agents on the horizon," says Ted Bianco, director of technology transfer at the Wellcome Trust, adding: "antibacterials are expensive to develop and may be held in reserve, limiting their market potential. It can be difficult, therefore, for companies to recoup their outlay in R&D costs.