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Kineticos Launches Kinvard Bio: A New Frontier in Antibiotic Development

In a significant move in the battle against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), Kineticos Life Sciences has introduced Kinvard Bio, Inc., a cutting-edge biotech firm dedicated to developing novel anti-infectives. This initiative arises from groundbreaking research licensed from Harvard University's Myers Lab, underpinning a suite of innovations designed to tackle the urgent public health crisis posed by AMR.

KAMRA I, the Kineticos AMR Accelerator Fund, plays a pivotal role in this venture, supporting Kinvard Bio with both financial resources and operational expertise. KAMRA I's mission is clear: combat AMR by creating and nurturing companies that offer transformative solutions to this pressing challenge. This unique collaboration leverages Kineticos Foundry's extensive experience in biopharmaceutical startups, ensuring that Kinvard Bio is well-equipped to fulfill its ambitious vision.

At the heart of Kinvard's innovative approach are oxepanoprolinamides (OPPs), a groundbreaking class of lincosamide antibiotics developed under the direction of Professor Andy Myers. These compounds have been meticulously crafted for superior binding efficiency to bacterial ribosomes, demonstrating efficacy against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial pathogens that have remained unmet by current therapies.

Significantly, preclinical studies highlighted the capability of OPPs to target critical clinical needs. The endeavor has garnered substantial backing, including a $1.2 million award from the Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X), which aims to shepherd these promising leads further down the drug development pipeline.

Kinvard Bio's objectives are straightforward yet ambitious: it aims to push its most promising drug candidates through preclinical optimization and into clinical trials. The focus will be on creating both oral and IV formulations that address serious challenges in treating infections such as bacterial pneumonia and complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), as well as conditions caused by nontuberculosis mycobacteria lung disease (NTM-LD).

Professor Andy Myers, a key figure in this evolution, remarked, "The powerful synthetic methods developed at the Myers Lab have opened the door to creating compounds that show immense promise against superbugs, which have evaded standard treatments. Our partnership with Kinvard Bio should expedite the process of bringing essential antibiotics to the market."

Spearheading Kinvard Bio is Dr. Lloyd Payne, a medicinal chemistry veteran with over 25 years of experience in drug development. He expressed his excitement about the potential impact of Kinvard’s strategies on the clinical landscape: "Joining Kinvard Bio presents an extraordinary opportunity to advance a distinctive class of antibacterial agents. Collaboration with KAMRA I enables us to further cultivate innovations from the Myers Lab, addressing the critical need for new antibiotics in clinical settings."

Alongside Dr. Payne are co-founders Dr. Kelvin Wu and Dr. Ben Tresco, who both contributed significantly to the development of the OPP class while at Harvard. Their expertise is pivotal as Kinvard Bio works to refine its drug candidates and expand its pipeline.

The launch of Kinvard Bio signifies not just a new addition to Kineticos's portfolio, but a vital step forward in the broader fight against antimicrobial resistance, a growing issue that, according to the World Health Organization, threatens to escalate global mortality rates significantly by 2050 without urgent intervention.

With increasing rates of drug resistance affecting millions worldwide, Kinvard Bio stands at the forefront of a movement to create alternatives capable of overcoming the hurdles posed by resistant bacteria. With the backing of esteemed institutions and innovative researchers, the company holds the potential to make meaningful advances against some of the most daunting medical challenges faced today.

About Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

AMR presents a dire global challenge, with the WHO estimating that more than 50% of common bacterial infections are resistant to at least one widely used antibiotic. The United Nations predicts that without substantial action, AMR-related deaths could reach 10 million annually by 2050. Addressing AMR requires multifaceted strategies, including robust research and development initiatives for new antibiotics.