Prokaryotics Receives STTR Phase II Award Supporting Development of a Mechanistically Novel Agent to Broadly Treat Fungal infections Caused by Drug-Resistant Candida, Aspergillus, and Rare Molds

Union, NJ – August 15, 2023 -- Prokaryotics, Inc., a privately-held biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of novel antibiotics, announced today that it has been awarded its first antifungal STTR fast track to Phase 2 grant (R42AI179344-01) from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This four year $2,875,357.00 agreement will fund lead selection and pre-clinical optimization amongst a natural product-based antifungal series targeting Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) biosynthesis, an essential and broadly conserved component of the fungal cell wall.

The World Health Association (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recently sounded the alarm over the rising extent of drug resistance amongst pathogenic yeasts and molds, as well as the need for new agents to treat such infections. Prokaryotics is committed to addressing this unmet medical need by initiating our first antifungal program, centered around a mechanistically novel, highly potent, and broad-spectrum lead series with exciting drug development potential. We are also delighted to collaborate in this endeavor with Professor Courtney Aldrich (University of Minnesota), who brings exceptional medicinal chemistry expertise to this goal. Prokaryotics remains deeply grateful to the NIH and scientific peer reviewers for their support of this program, as well as our entire product portfolio.
-- Dr. Terry Roemer, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Prokaryotics, Inc.

About Prokaryotics, Inc.
Prokaryotics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company founded on Merck & Co. out-licensed antibiotic assets under development to treat life-threatening antimicrobial resistant (AMR) infections. Prokaryotics leverages its deep expertise in yeast and bacterial physiology, medicinal chemistry, collaborative spirit, and scientific passion to discover and develop new classes of antibiotics targeting the yeast cell wall and bacterial outer membrane biogenesis – the fundamental armors erected by these pathogens to naturally withstand the effects of antibiotic treatment and the human innate immune system.

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