Shanghai, China, April 9, 2020 — Everest Medicines, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing transformative pharmaceutical products that address critical unmet medical needs for patients in Greater China and other parts of Asia, today announced the results from an in vitro study of taniborbactam (VNRX-5133) combined with cefepime. The study assessed the in vitro activity of the novel beta-lactamase inhibitor, taniborbactam, when paired with a fourth generation cephalosporin antibiotic, cefepime, against 500 urinary Gram-negative bacilli clinical isolates with major resistance mechanisms collected in Mainland China.

Findings from the study are published in the March 2020 issue of the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. The paper, entitled “In vitro activity of the novel beta-lactamase inhibitor taniborbactam (VNRX-5133), in combination with cefepime, against MDR Gram-negative bacterial isolates from China” is available online here.

When compared with other therapies, the beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor (BL/BLI) combination, cefepime-taniborbactam, exhibited greater potency against Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) pathogens that are often resistant to current complicated urinary tract infection (cUTI) standard of care therapies. Cefepime-taniborbactam demonstrated improved potency against resistant pathogens, including those pathogens that produce extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL), AmpC beta-lactamases, co-producing ESBL and AmpC, KPC, OXA, NDM, VIM and carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA).

“There is an urgent need for a BL/BLI with broader coverage for inhibiting beta-lactamases, especially for metallo-beta-lactamases,” said Sunny Zhu, Chief Medical Officer for Infectious Diseases at Everest Medicines. “We are pleased with these encouraging results that support the activity of cefepime-taniborbactam in CRE and CRPA isolates. This important research has reinforced Everest Medicines’ commitment to develop novel therapeutics for infectious diseases.”

About Taniborbactam (VNRX-5133)

Taniborbactam, formerly known as VNRX-5133, is a parenteral, potential best-in-class, cyclic boronate compound that inhibits both serine- and metallo-beta-lactamases. Combined with cefepime, a fourth generation cephalosporin antibiotic, taniborbactam drives antimicrobial activity against gram-negative bacteria that have acquired multi-drug resistance (MDR) via classes A, B, C and D beta-lactamase expression. Taniborbactam is the only known beta-lactamase inhibitor in advanced clinical development that blocks class B carbapenemases.  In 2019, Everest Medicines and licensing partner Venatorx Pharmaceuticals initiated a global Phase 3 clinical trial for patients with complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI). For more information, please visit www.venatorx.com.

About Everest Medicines

Everest Medicines is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing transformative pharmaceutical products that address critical unmet medical needs for patients in Greater China and other Asian markets. The management team of Everest Medicines has deep expertise and an extensive track record of high-quality clinical development, regulatory affairs, CMC, business development and operations both in China and with leading global pharmaceutical companies. For more information, please visit its website at www.everestmedicines.com.