ABOUT EFFLUX PUMP INHIBITION
TAXIS is developing Efflux Pump Inhibitors (EPIs) which represent a new anti-resistance drug class against Gram-negative MDR pathogens. Bacterial efflux pumps act like bilge pumps by flushing antibiotics out of the bacterial cell and are responsible for antibiotic resistance in many gram-negative strains. TAXIS’ EPIs have shown that they can resurrect the activity, potency and effectiveness of multiple classes of antibiotics that no longer work or now require high doses to have any effect.
ABOUT FtsZ MODULATION
Our most advanced drug candidate, oral TXA709, is currently enrolling in a Phase I human safety clinical trial in healthy volunteers for development as an anti-resistance drug to be used in combination with obsolete antibiotics as a fully oral anti-MRSA treatment. TXA709 targets the Filamenting temperature-sensitive mutant Z (FtsZ) bacterial cell division protein and was granted Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) designation by the FDA. It may also be possible to develop a FtsZ drug candidate targeting Gram-negative bacteria in the future.
Tackling the Antimicrobial Resistance Crisis
Overuse and misuse of antibiotic agents have contributed to the spread of resistant bacteria, posing a serious health risk that the World Health Organization (WHO) describes as a global health emergency. TAXIS is focused on developing new classes of anti-resistance agents to treat life-threatening, multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.
ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE: FACTS & FIGURES
At least 2 million people in the United States acquire serious, antibiotic resistant infections every year
Centers for Disease Control, Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2013. http://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/pdf/ar-threats-2013-508.pdf. Accessed August 5, 2015.
ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE: FACTS & FIGURES
At least 23,000 people die each year in the United States as a result of antibiotic-resistant infections
Centers for Disease Control, Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2013. http://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/pdf/ar-threats-2013-508.pdf. Accessed August 5, 2015.
ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE: FACTS & FIGURES
Up to 50% of all antibiotics prescribed are not needed or not optimally effective as prescribed
Centers for Disease Control, Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2013. http://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/pdf/ar-threats-2013-508.pdf. Accessed August 5, 2015.
ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE: FACTS & FIGURES
The average cost of treating a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA infection exceeds ~$35,000 per case
The Journal of Healthcare Contracting, Looking for MRSA. http://www.journalofhealthcarecontracting.com/article-marapr2008-lookingformrsa.asp. Accessed August 5, 2015
ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE: FACTS & FIGURES
1 in 10 hospitalized patients in the United States will acquire an infection reflecting an economic burden of $6.7B
Plowman RP, Graves N, Roberts JA. Hospital acquired infection. London Office of Health Economics; 1997
ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE: FACTS & FIGURES
No major new types of antibiotics have been developed in the last 30 years
World Health Organization, Antimicrobial Resistance: Global Report on Surveillance 2014. http://www.who.int/drugresistance/documents/surveillancereport/en/. Accessed August 5, 2015
ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE: FACTS & FIGURES
MRSA represents 5% of the total cases of antibiotic resistance each year, but accounts for nearly half of the mortalities
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Active Bacterial Core Surveillance http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/abcs/meth-case.htm. Accessed August 20, 2015
Mission Statement
Our mission is to discover and develop unique anti-resistance agents to address the global health crisis of antimicrobial resistance.