Hoth Therapeutics and UCRI to perform critical studies for HT-006 antibiotic

Hoth Therapeutics and the University of Cincinnati Research Institute (UCRI) in the US have signed a research agreement to conduct critical antimicrobial characterisation studies for the streamlined development of the antibiotic HT-006.

HT-006 is a new molecular entity (NME) developed by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) using a novel antibacterial action mechanism that targets multiple bacterial pathogens.

It is currently under development as a potential treatment for multi-drug resistant bacterial infections of lung-like hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), cystic fibrosis (CF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

The company earlier licensed the technology from the WRAIR for commercial evaluation.

The new research programme is led by the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine, Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry and Microbiology professor Daniel Hassett.

Hoth Therapeutics CEO Robb Knie said: “We are pleased to commence a new research programme with Dr Hassett and the University of Cincinnati Research Institute (UCRI).

“There is a growing need for new antibiotic therapies targeted at multi-drug resistant bacteria, particularly for life-threatening conditions like hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

“The work to be conducted by Dr Hassett will assist in expediting the HT-006 drug development programme towards the clinic.”

The research will focus on studying pathogenic mechanisms of multi-drug resistant bacteria and effective antimicrobial strategies to fight these organisms.

This plan includes critical antimicrobial in vitro characterisation studies for the novel antibiotic HT-006 in alignment with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) programme for antibacterial therapies.

Hoth Therapeutics stated that, through this streamlined programme, nonclinical animal studies will be used to reduce clinical studies required for approval.