The Growing Crisis of Antimicrobial Resistance: Meitheal Takes Action with XENLETA®

The Growing Crisis of Antimicrobial Resistance: Meitheal Takes Action with XENLETA®

by John Conrad| Dec 12, 2024| Member News, NewsBrief

In a significant move addressing one of healthcare's most pressing challenges, Meitheal Pharmaceuticals has secured exclusive U.S. commercial rights to XENLETA® (lefamulin acetate). The timing couldn't be more critical: between now and 2050, antibiotic resistance is projected to contribute to 170 million deaths globally-equivalent to 14 times Illinois' population.

The December 11, 2024 agreement marks a rare bright spot in the challenging landscape of antibiotic development. Since 2013, while the FDA has approved nine antibiotics from small companies, all but one of those developers have faced financial collapse, highlighting the stark reality of antimicrobial drug development.

"The licensing of XENLETA® bolsters our portfolio of novel antibiotics and reflects our focus on addressing the growing issue of antimicrobial resistance," said Tom Shea, Meitheal's CEO. XENLETA®, a first-in-class pleuromutilin antibiotic, offers new hope for treating community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP), which affects five million Americans annually.

"Antimicrobial resistance represents one of the most serious public health threats of our time," says John Conrad, President and CEO of iBIO. "We're fortunate to have leading companies like Meitheal Pharmaceuticals in Illinois, taking bold steps to address this crisis through the development and commercialization of innovative antibiotics. Their work is not just crucial for public health-it's vital for maintaining Illinois' position as a hub for biotechnology innovation."

The stakes couldn't be higher. Without effective antibiotics, routine medical procedures-from C-sections to joint replacements-could become dangerously risky. Common infections could once again become life-threatening. This reality has sparked legislative action in the form of the bipartisan PASTEUR Act, which proposes a subscription-based model for antimicrobial medicines to incentivize new drug development.

For Illinois, successful antibiotic development could generate hundreds of jobs and strengthen the local economy. Meitheal's acquisition of XENLETA® through Hong Kong King-Friend Industrial Co., Ltd. (HKF) demonstrates one approach to bringing new antibiotics to market, complementing their recent CONTEPO™ acquisition.

The World Health Organization estimates that only one in 30 antibiotics in development reaches patients. While the PASTEUR Act, supported by over 65 members of Congress including an Illinois' Congressman Mike Quigley, could help reverse this trend, time is of the essence. Meitheal's commitment to commercializing novel antibiotics like XENLETA® represents a crucial step forward in the fight against antimicrobial resistance, offering hope in an increasingly challenging healthcare landscape.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​