Roche moves antibiotic against superbug into Phase 3 of testing

Swiss drugmaker Roche RO said on Monday it would advance testing of an antibiotic against a common drug-resistant bacteria that causes serious hospital infections into the third and last phase of testing on humans.

Roche said in a statement that the experimental antibiotic zosurabalpin, jointly developed with Harvard University, would be tested against acinetobacter baumannii, relying on a new mode of action that bacteria have not developed resistance against.

Drug-resistant acinetobacter are present across the world and disproportionately impact patients who are in hospital, causing serious infections like pneumonia and sepsis, the company added.