Prokaryotics announces that two patents covering novel compounds which restore the efficacy of commonly used β-lactams against MRSA have been issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Union, NJ – October 12, 2021 — Prokaryotics, Inc., a privately-held biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of novel anti-infective drugs, announced today that two patents, each covering a distinct series of novel compounds for both composition of matter and use as adjuvants to restore the efficacy of commonly used β-lactams against the dangerous superbug MRSA, have been issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The patent covering the Tarocin A compound series, entitled “Oxazolidinones as TarO Inhibitors” was issued as U.S. Patent 11,141,410, and the patent covering the Tarocin B compound series, entitled “Benzimidazoles and Indoles as TarO Inhibitors” was issued as U.S. Patent 11,141,403. Both patents include Prokaryotics founders Terry Roemer and Sang Lee as key inventors.

These patents represent an important asset and a key milestone, as our program to identify an agent to combat Gram-positive resistant strains continues to progress toward identification of a development candidate. These cases provide a broad base of protected intellectual property for our medicinal chemistry effort, and we intend to follow up with a series of narrower applications to strengthen our position as we transition toward early clinical development.
-- Sherman Tim Waddell, Ph.D., VP and Head of Chemistry at Prokaryotics Inc.

About Antimicrobial Resistant (AMR) Bacteria
The relentless advance of antibiotic drug resistant bacteria has raised concerns whether within the next 2-3 decades we could be facing a ‘pre-antibiotic era’ where existing antibiotics will become largely ineffective in treating serious and life-threatening infections. Indeed, the World Health Organization has projected that the impact on human health and economic costs associated with antibiotic drug resistance will rival that of global warming. New classes of antibiotics with novel mechanisms of action are urgently needed to combat the growing threat of multi-drug resistant bacteria.

About Prokaryotics, Inc.
Prokaryotics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel antibiotic classes that target serious multi-drug resistant bacterial infections. Prokaryotics leverages a deep knowledge of bacterial physiology, innovative screening strategies, and scientific excellence necessary to discover and develop new classes of antibiotics targeting outer membrane biogenesis – the fundamental armor erected by bacteria to naturally withstand the effects of antibiotics.

Media Contact:
Holly Sutterlin
908 737-1922 x124
hsutterlin@prokaryotics.com