JAPAN — Japanese pharmaceutical company Shionogi has acquired Qpex Biopharma, a San Diego-based biotechnology firm, in a deal worth up to US$140 million.
The acquisition will bring Qpex’s innovative antimicrobial, xeroborbactum, into Shionogi’s development pipeline, with the potential to combat drug-resistant infections.
As part of the agreement, Qpex shareholders will receive an upfront payment of US$100 million, with an additional US$40 million contingent upon the achievement of certain development and regulatory milestones.
Through the acquisition, Shionogi secures exclusive rights for the development, manufacturing, and marketing of xeroborbactum.
This novel beta-lactamase inhibitor, developed by Qpex, functions by inhibiting the activity of beta-lactamases, enzymes that render beta-lactam antibiotics ineffective.
Beta-lactam antibiotics include commonly used antibiotics such as penicillins, cephems, and carbapenems.
Bacteria develop resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics by producing beta-lactamase enzymes, which break down the antibiotics.
However, xeroborbactum and other beta-lactamase inhibitors work by inhibiting these enzymes, thereby enhancing the efficacy of beta-lactam antibiotics against drug-resistant bacteria.
Notably, xeroborbactum exhibits a broad inhibitory spectrum, targeting multiple classes of beta-lactamases, including those resistant to existing inhibitors.
Qpex presented Phase I results for xeroborbactum in early 2022, demonstrating the combination’s effectiveness when used with meropenem, an antibiotic.
The combination displayed high activity against 223 isolates of Enterobacterales, inhibiting between 97.3% and 99.6% of isolates at concentrations of less than 8mg per liter.
Shionogi intends to leverage Qpex’s expertise and external network to advance the development of xeroborbactum.
The company views this acquisition as aligned with its strategic goals and capabilities, providing opportunities for collaboration and pipeline expansion.
In addition to xeroborbactum, Qpex has two clinical-stage programs based on the compound.
The first program focuses on an intravenously administered drug designed to treat infections caused by Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Enterobacterales.
The second program aims to develop an orally administered treatment for infections caused by drug-resistant, Gram-negative bacteria such as Fluoroquinolone, Cephalosporin, or carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales, commonly encountered in outpatient or community settings.
Qpex has received support from the U.S. government since its spin-out from The Medicines Company in 2018.
Funding from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (BARDA) has enabled Qpex to pursue solutions for drug-resistant infections.
Qpex CEO Michael N. Dudley emphasized the potential impact of the acquisition, stating, “Joining Shionogi along with our collaboration with BARDA will help drive the availability of new products for treating drug-resistant infections worldwide.”
The rise of drug-resistant infections poses a significant global health concern, with the CDC estimating over 35,000 deaths per year in the United States alone.
Worldwide, the numbers may exceed 1.27 million direct deaths and five million associated with antibiotic resistance annually.
Shionogi’s acquisition of Qpex represents a step toward addressing this urgent medical challenge.
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