Macrolide Pharmaceuticals

About Macrolide Pharmaceuticals

Macrolide Pharmaceuticals, Inc. operates as a biopharmaceutical firm focused on addressing the critical threat of antibiotic resistance. Established in 2015, the company was co-founded by Professor Andrew Myers of Harvard University and Dr. Lawrence Miller, who previously collaborated on the successful launch of Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals. The venture is built upon a groundbreaking chemical synthesis platform developed in Professor Myers' laboratory at Harvard, for which Macrolide Pharmaceuticals holds an exclusive worldwide license. This technology represents a significant departure from traditional semi-synthetic methods, enabling the creation of entirely new macrolide antibiotic candidates from basic chemical building blocks.

The company's primary objective is to discover and develop novel macrolide antibiotics capable of treating life-threatening infections, with a particular emphasis on multi-drug resistant (MDR) Gram-negative pathogens. Historically, the macrolide class of antibiotics has been effective against Gram-positive bacteria but has shown limited utility against Gram-negative species. Macrolide's proprietary platform allows for the rational design and synthesis of a vast array of new macrolide structures, aiming to overcome existing resistance mechanisms and extend the antibacterial spectrum to include these challenging pathogens. Its lead program is focused on developing intravenous and orally available antibiotics to treat serious infections like complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) caused by resistant bacteria.

The company's business model is centered on research and development, funded by significant venture capital investment and strategic partnerships. Macrolide Pharmaceuticals launched with a $22 million Series A financing in 2015, backed by a syndicate of prominent life sciences investors including Novartis Venture Fund, Gurnet Point Capital, Roche Ventures, and SROne. It secured an additional $20 million in 2018 from its investors to accelerate the development of its lead programs toward filing an Investigational New Drug (IND) application. The company has also received non-dilutive funding, notably an award from CARB-X to specifically support the development of its novel antibiotics targeting Gram-negative bacteria.