Note: This data visualization was originally published in March 2017.
As of December 2019, an estimated 30 new nontraditional products with the potential to treat or prevent serious bacterial infections were in clinical development.
The below interactive resource—based on publicly available information and informed by external experts and company communication—focuses on the nontraditional products currently in the clinical development pipeline. To view subsets of products, use filter options below or click on corresponding sections of the pie charts.
While antibiotic innovation—finding and designing new types of antibiotics and improving existing drugs—remains essential to combating antibiotic resistance, “outside-the-box” approaches to preventing and treating bacterial infections are also needed. Such nontraditional approaches encompass a variety of products.
Filter drugs
By development phase
By type
filtered results
Drug name
Development phase
Company
Type
Potential indication(s)
Exebacase
Phase 3
ContraFect Corp.
Lysin
2
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 3
ContraFect Corp.
Lysin
S. aureus cell wall
PF-06425090
Phase 3
Pfizer Inc.
Vaccine
8
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 3
Pfizer Inc.
Vaccine
TcdA and TcdB toxins
PF-06482077 Vaccines for S. pneumoniae have been approved and widely used. PF-06482077 has the potential for expanded serotype coverage.
RBX2660/ RBX7455 RBX7455 is a lyophilized, oral formulation of the microbiota-based therapy, while RBX2660 is an enema formulation. RBX7455 is in Phase 2 clinical trials.
Phase 3
Rebiotix Inc. (wholly owned subsidiary of Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
Live biotherapeutic product
17
18
20
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 3
Rebiotix Inc. (wholly owned subsidiary of Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
Live biotherapeutic product
Microbiome modulation
Reltecimod (AB103)
Phase 3
Atox Bio Ltd.
Peptide immunomodulator
6
19
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 3
Atox Bio Ltd.
Peptide immunomodulator
Inhibits S. pyogenes and S. aureus superantigen activation of CD28
SER-109
Phase 3
Seres Therapeutics Inc.
Live biotherapeutic product
17
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 3
Seres Therapeutics Inc.
Live biotherapeutic product
Microbiome modulation
Salvecin (AR-301)
Phase 3
Aridis Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Monoclonal antibody
5
21
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 3
Aridis Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Monoclonal antibody
S. aureus α-toxin
V114 Vaccines for S. pneumoniae have been approved and widely used. V114 has the potential for expanded serotype coverage.
Phase 3
Merck & Co. Inc.
Vaccine
14
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 3
Merck & Co. Inc.
Vaccine
S. pneumoniae serotypes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F, 22F, 23F, and 33F
514G3
Phase 2
XBiotech Inc.
Monoclonal antibody
1
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 2
XBiotech Inc.
Monoclonal antibody
S. aureus protein A
Aerucin (AR-105)
Phase 2
Aridis Pharmaceuticals Inc/Serum Institute of India, Ltd.
Monoclonal antibody
5
21
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 2
Aridis Pharmaceuticals Inc/Serum Institute of India, Ltd.
Monoclonal antibody
P. aeruginosa alginate
Aerumab (AR-101)
Phase 2
Aridis Pharmaceuticals Inc/Serum Institute of India, Ltd.
Monoclonal antibody
5
21
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 2
Aridis Pharmaceuticals Inc/Serum Institute of India, Ltd.
Monoclonal antibody
P. aeruginosa lipopolysaccharide serotype O11
CAL02
Phase 2 Information not currently registered on a clinical trial registry. Information obtained from the company via a corporate website, news release, and/or direct communication.
Combioxin SA
Virulence inhibitor (liposome)
4
5
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 2
Combioxin SA
Virulence inhibitor (liposome)
Sequesters and neutralizes Gram-positive and Gram-negative virulence effectors/ toxins
CP101
Phase 2
Finch Therapeutics Group Inc.
Live biotherapeutic product
17
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 2
Finch Therapeutics Group Inc.
Live biotherapeutic product
Microbiome modulation
DAV132
Phase 2 Registered at clinicaltrials.gov, but with no current study sites within the U.S.
Da Volterra
Antibiotic inactivator
8
11
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 2
Da Volterra
Antibiotic inactivator
Irreversibly adsorbs nonspecific antibiotic residues in the colon
ExPEC4V (JNJ-63871860)
Phase 2
Janssen Research & Development LLC
Vaccine
9
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 2
Janssen Research & Development LLC
Vaccine
E. coli serotypes O1A, O2, O6A, and O25B
GSK3902986A/ GSK3536852A
Phase 2
GlaxoSmithKline PLC
Vaccine
15
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 2
GlaxoSmithKline PLC
Vaccine
S. sonnei O-antigen
IMM-529
Phase 2 Information not currently registered on a clinical trial registry. Information obtained from the company via a corporate website, news release, and/or direct communication.
Immuron Ltd.
Polyclonal antibody
7
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 2
Immuron Ltd.
Polyclonal antibody
TcdB toxin, spore antigens, and vegetative cell antigens
MEDI3902
Phase 2
AstraZeneca PLC
Monoclonal antibody
16
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 2
AstraZeneca PLC
Monoclonal antibody
P. aeruginosa PcrV T3SS protein and Psl exopolysaccharide
N-Rephasin (SAL200) (Tonabacase)
Phase 2
Roivant Sciences/iNtRON Biotechnology Inc.
Lysin
1
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 2
Roivant Sciences/iNtRON Biotechnology Inc.
Lysin
S. aureus cell wall
NDV-3A
Phase 2
NovaDigm Therapeutics Inc.
Vaccine
12
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 2
NovaDigm Therapeutics Inc.
Vaccine
C. albicans Als3 protein
PF-06760805
Phase 2
Pfizer Inc.
Vaccine
10
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 2
Pfizer Inc.
Vaccine
Group B Streptococcus serotypes Ia, Ib, II, III, and V
Ribaxamase (SYN-004)
Phase 2
Synthetic Biologics Inc.
Antibiotic inactivator
8
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 2
Synthetic Biologics Inc.
Antibiotic inactivator
Degrades intravenous β-lactam antibiotics in the gastrointestinal tract
Suvratoxumab (MEDI4893)
Phase 2
AstraZeneca PLC
Monoclonal antibody
16
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 2
AstraZeneca PLC
Monoclonal antibody
S. aureus α-toxin
VE303
Phase 2
Vedanta Biosciences Inc.
Live biotherapeutic product
17
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 2
Vedanta Biosciences Inc.
Live biotherapeutic product
Microbiome modulation
DSTA4637S/ RG7861
Phase 1
Genentech Inc. (member of the Roche Group)/Seattle Genetics Inc./Symphogen A/S
Antibody-antibiotic conjugate
1
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 1
Genentech Inc. (member of the Roche Group)/Seattle Genetics Inc./Symphogen A/S
Antibody-antibiotic conjugate
S. aureus wall teichoic acid/ rifamycin
GSK2904545A
Phase 1
GlaxoSmithKline plc
Vaccine
3
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 1
GlaxoSmithKline plc
Vaccine
F2 antigen
MET-2
Phase 1
NuBiyota LLC/Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd.
Live biotherapeutic product
17
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 1
NuBiyota LLC/Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd.
Live biotherapeutic product
Microbiome modulation
PolyCAb
Phase 1 Clinical trial information for PolyCAb is currently registered in the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/).
MicroPharm Ltd.
Polyclonal antibody
3
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 1
MicroPharm Ltd.
Polyclonal antibody
TcdA and TcdB toxins
SER-262
Phase 1
Seres Therapeutics Inc.
Live biotherapeutic product
8
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 1
Seres Therapeutics Inc.
Live biotherapeutic product
Microbiome modulation
STEBVax
Phase 1
Integrated BioTherapeutics Inc.
Vaccine
13
Development phase
Company
Type
Target / mechanism of action
Phase 1
Integrated BioTherapeutics Inc.
Vaccine
Recombinant mutated form of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB)
Key
1
Bacteremia
2
Bacteremia including right-sided endocarditis
3
C. difficile infections
4
Community-acquired bacterial pneumonia
5
Hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia
6
Necrotizing soft tissue infections
7
Prevention and treatment of C. difficile infections
8
Prevention of C. difficile infections
9
Prevention of extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli infections
10
Prevention of group B streptococcus infections
11
Prevention of gut colonization by multi-drug resistant organisms
12
Prevention of S. aureus skin and soft tissue infections
13
Prevention of S. aureus toxic shock syndrome
14
Prevention of S. pneumoniae infections
15
Prevention of shigellosis
16
Prevention of ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia
Note: The following drugs have been removed from the pipeline. Removed
candidates will be included in future updates if development resumes:
June 2019: S. pneumoniae next generation vaccine
(GSK-2189241A) was discontinued, according to a press release from the
company.
December 2018: SA4Ag was removed because development was discontinued,
according to a press release from the company.
June 2018: ASN100, GEN 004, Group B Streptococcus vaccine, and
VLA84 (IC84) were removed because they were no longer included in the
research and development pipeline on the company’s website.
September 2017: Shigamab and Cdiffense were removed because they were
no longer included in the research and development pipeline on the
company’s website.
This collection page was updated in December 2017 with new content.
Drug-resistant bacteria, or superbugs, present a serious and worsening threat to human health. A majority of doctors have encountered patients with infections that do not respond to available treatments, and when new drugs come to market bacteria can quickly develop resistance. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 million Americans acquire serious infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria each year, and at least 23,000 die as a result. A sustained and robust pipeline of new antibacterial drugs and novel therapies is critical to ensure that new interventions keep pace with these evolving pathogens.
Sign Up
Exclusive state-policy research, infographics, and stats every two weeks.
