Pattern Bioscience was awarded funding from CARB-X to develop a new rapid diagnostic for drug-resistant bacterial infection.
Austin, Texas-based Pattern Bioscience was awarded funding from the antibiotic-resistant bacteria-focused accelerator, CARB-X, to develop a new rapid diagnostic for drug-resistant bacterial infection.
CARB-X (Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator) is a consortium led by Boston University and funded by a global partnership that is dedicated to addressing the threat of drug-resistant bacteria.
Pattern Bioscience, formerly known as Klaris Diagnostics, will be tasked with developing a rapid identification and antimicrobial susceptibility test (ID/AST) to quickly diagnose drug-resistant infections. The test will be able to provide health professionals with vital information about which pathogen is causing the infection and which antibiotic is most likely to cure the infection. Pattern’s new Digital Culture for rapid ID/AST aims to transform the diagnosis of superbug infections, providing critical information within four hours, rather than days. Studies have suggested, CARB-X said, that for every hour delay in time to appropriate therapy, the odds of sepsis and death increase. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 700,000 people die each year worldwide from bacterial infections including 35,000 deaths in the United States and an estimated 33,000 deaths in Europe.
Nick Arab, co-founder and chief executive officer of Pattern said the funding will allow the company’s “remarkable and growing team” to advance the development of Pattern’s life-saving technology.
“Rapid diagnostics are urgently needed to improve the treatment of drug-resistant infections. They can provide vital information about the bacteria causing an infection and take the guess-work out of treatment decisions in the first critical hours of illness,” Erin Duffy, chief of research and development at CARB-X said in a statement.
Pattern’s technology combines single-cell analysis with deep learning to deliver the fast and definitive diagnosis to guide antibiotic treatment decisions. The company’s Digital Culture technology enables phenotypic susceptibility testing across all common bacterial infections, thereby maximizing potential to improve antibiotic prescribing.
The initial award by CARB-X is designed to cover 80% to 90% of development costs, depending on the phase of development. If the project successfully achieves certain development milestones, Pattern will be eligible for up to an additional $15.1 million in funding from CARB-X.
“Currently, it can take days of laboratory testing to diagnose a lethal bacterial infection. Faster ID/AST results, like Pattern’s diagnostic, if successful and eventually approved for use in patients, would enable medical staff to treat infections quickly with appropriate antibiotics,” Duffy added.
CARB-X’s goal is to provide up to $500 million in financial support to support innovative antibiotics and other therapeutics, vaccines, and rapid diagnostics. Since its launch, CARB-X has supported 56 projects and has provided more than $189.3 million in non-dilutive funding. These funds are in addition to investments made by the companies themselves. The goal is to support projects through the early phases of development to Phase 1 in hopes those assets will attract additional support for further clinical development and potential approval for use in patients. CARB-X currently has a portfolio of 37 projects in five different countries, including support of Vedanta Biosciences preclinical development of VE707 for multi-drug resistant infections.
