The awards program recognizes entrepreneurs who are excelling in areas such as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Drs. Burns, Xerri and Pevear were selected as finalists by a panel of independent judges. Award winners will be announced at a special gala event on June 14, 2018 at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.

Fourteen poster presentations, including four oral sessions, will feature VenatoRx's lead clinical antibacterial candidate, cefepime/VNRX-5133, at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Madrid, Spain. In addition, VenatoRx’s President and CEO, Christopher J. Burns, Ph.D., will present a brief overview about the Company’s R&D pipeline during Pipeline Corner on April 23, 2013 beginning at 12:30pm CET in Hall Y.

President and CEO, Christopher J. Burns, Ph.D., will present the Company's lead clinical antibacterial candidate, VNRX-5133, during the First-Time Disclosure of Clinical Candidates Symposium at the American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at 3:15pm CT. The oral presentation is entitled, “Discovery of VNRX-5133: A broad-spectrum serine- and metallo-beta-lactamase inhibitor (BLI) for carbapenem-resistant bacterial infections (“superbugs”).”

The funding will support discovery and preclinical development of a novel, first-in-class antibiotic for biodefense applications. The project derives from the company’s proprietary platform of non-beta-lactam penicillin binding protein inhibitors (PBPis).

The FDA granted VenatoRx's lead antibiotic program, VNRX-5133, an injectable broad-spectrum beta-lactamase inhibitor combined with a marketed beta-lactam antibiotic, both the Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) and Fast Track designations. The designations were granted for both complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) and complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI).

The funding will be used to support discovery and preclinical development of a new class of antibiotic that circumvents beta-lactam antibiotic resistance, but with the same safe and effective mechanism of action of beta-lactams.

Proceeds will be used to advance the company’s portfolio, including lead product candidate VNRX-5133 for multi-drug resistant (MDR) gram-negative infections.

Dr. Diem is Senior Vice President, Business and Corporate Development at Medgenics, heading all business and corporate development activities for the company.