Indian innovation at work: Bugworks embarks on phase I trials in its pursuit for a new antibiotic

The phase 1 clinical trial are being conducted in Adelaide, Australia.

Results are expected by early 2022. (Representational image)

Bugworks research with operations in Delaware, US, Bangalore and Adelaide, Australia,on Monday, November 8th, announced that the first human dose was administered in a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating BWC0977: a next generation broad-spectrum, novel bacterial topoisomerase inhibitor (NBTI), supported by Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X).

According to a note put out by the company the phase 1 clinical trial are being conducted in Adelaide, Australia. “This trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of single and multiple ascending doses of BWC0977 in healthy adult subjects. Results are expected by early 2022,” it says.

Explaining its significance and what it means for the company and the research in the area of finding a novel antibiotic to combat super bug problems, Anand Anandkumar, co-founder and the chief executive officer of Bugworks Research, says, “it has been almost five decades since we have has a novel broad spectrum antibiotic to combat the worst bacterial infections – be these infections in the urinary track, stomach, blood stream or phemonia.” At Bugworks, he says, there is now an opportunity where it could look at bringing out a novel broad spectrum antibiotics. “We have a long way to go because we have completed all the pre-clinical studies and only just now started clinical trials in Adelaide, Australia,” However, if this, “phase I clinical trial is successful in Australia” then, he says, “we will have to do phase II trials most likely in India and in the United States and then followed by a phase III to be able to launch a drug.”

While, if all goes well and as per plans then it is still few years from launch of a new drug but then Anand says, “the significance is that something that is invested from India that can solve a large problem all over the world that is killing hundreds of thousands of people every year and a problem that worsened during the pandemic because of excessive use of antibiotics and further spread of drug resistance.”

Also, he says, “our company, based out of Bengaluru with the support from the government of India and with investors all over the world, has invented a completely new way of tackling the superbug and we are entering phase I clinical trials now. If successful, it opens up the flood gates for what could be done for humanity. The applications of this drug could be in tackling hospital infections, community infections and even to fight bio-terrorism and (if all goes well then someday it) could find bio-defense applications too.”

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