Tetracyclines are among the most successful classes of antibiotics. In more than 50 years of clinical use, the class has been proven safe and effective, and can be administered both orally and intravenously. Among other things, extensive use of antibiotics has led to development of resistance across a broad range of bacteria, so that many commonly used antibiotics have limited effectiveness. Over the past decade, bacterial pathogens, especially multidrug-resitant gram-negatives, have developed resistance to existing forms of tetracyclines and other first-line antibiotics, including aminoglycosides, macrolides, fluoroquinolones and beta-lactam antibiotics.
Despite the clinical need and tetracycline's track record of success, only one tetracycline, Tygacil® (tigecycline, Pfizer), has been approved in more than 30 years.
The lack of new tetracyclines is due in large part to the challenges in synthesizing new molecules. Until now, tetracyclines were produced through semi-synthetic methods: The molecules were produced in bacteria by fermentation and then chemically modified to arrive at the final product. However, the nature of this process markedly limits potential modifications.
With its proprietary chemistry platform, Tetraphase is able to synthetically modify any position on the tetracycline scaffold, allowing for an infinite number of diverse analogs.
Tetraphase's proprietary approach to antibiotics truly represents a platform- or product engine- for developing a portfolio of novel and potent IV/oral antibiotics that are effective against multidrug-resistant infections requiring treatment with either a broad spectrum agent or one that is more selective (e.g., in the case of complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) and community acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP)).
Leveraging its proprietary chemistry platform, as well as the extensive experience of its management team in anti-infective research and development, Tetraphase is rapidly developing a portfolio of novel antibiotics that have the potential to radically improve the treatment of serious multidrug-resistant infections.
