Bacterial infections in hospitals are a significant medical problem across Canada and around the world particularly as their resistance to antibiotics increases, creating a serious health issue now and in the future.
University of Waterloo chemistry professor, Gary Dmitrienko, and a team of researchers have discovered promising compounds that, when mixed with existing regulatory approved antibiotics, could extend the life and efficacy of these antiobiotics. The research, which began almost a decade ago, has led to the startup of Waterloo Pharmaceuticals Inc. and a plan of taking the new drugs to clinical trials within the next one to two years.
The research, initially conducted more than seven years ago, caught the attention of Waterloo graduate and serial biotech entrepreneur and investor Paul Truex who, at the time, was leading the development of Peninsula Pharmaceuticals’ bacterial resistance drug candidate. A few years later, Peninsula Pharmaceuticals was acquired by Johnson and Johnson Inc. and Truex turned his attention back to Dmitrienko’s anti-bacterial research. Dmitrienko had by this time developed a suite of potentially effective drug candidates stemming from specific inhibitors for bacterial enzymes (carbapenenmases) that destroy antibiotics called carbapenems and are currently used as the last line of defence in treating antibiotic resistant bacterial infections that threaten the lives of immunocompromised patients.
Partnering with WatCo propelled the commercial readiness of this research effort as WatCo invested in patent protection for a range of potential drug candidates and secured $345,000 in proof of principle funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Province of Ontario, as well as seed investment of $300,000 to launch Waterloo Pharmaceuticals Inc. “The launch of Waterloo Pharmaceuticals will allow us to further our work with these compounds while investigating alternate strategies which is particularly important as we see a growing spread of infection by new strains of bacteria that are highly resistant to current antibiotics world-wide,” says Dmitrienko. Further support in combating this urgent issue also comes from Dmitrienko’s recent leadership role in assembling a team of Canadian and U.K. researchers to secure $7 million in research funding through the Canada/U.K. Partnership on Antibiotic Resistance, a collaboration between CIHR and the UK Medical Research Council.
It’s expected that Waterloo Pharmaceuticals will play a leading role in the battle against lethal antibiotic resistant bacteria for Canadian and international hospitals, reducing the length of stay for patients in hospitals and the associated costs. The launch of Waterloo Pharmaceuticals will eventually create high value added and sustainable jobs within Ontario. The research program will also support the development of highly qualified personnel, some of whom will, hopefully, become lead scientists for the company.
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