Switzerland-based drug manufacturer Roche announced on Sunday, Nov. 29, that it will no longer continue its development of an antibiotic that was supposed to treat infections caused by superbugs.
Roche entered a partnership with Polyphor in 2013 in which the Swiss company agreed to pay as much as 500 million Swiss francs, or $485.3 million, for the rights to an experimental antibiotic drug known as RG7929/POL7080.
The deal marked one of the few instances where a major drug manufacturer got involved in the creation of drugs meant to address superbug-related infections in medical facilities.
Roche also agreed to pay Polyphor an additional 465 million francs ($451.9 million) in milestone payments.
"Roche has decided to discontinue its involvement in the clinical development of the investigational antibiotic RG7929/POL7080 for the treatment of patients with severe Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections and will return the asset to Polyphor," a Roche representative said.
The spokesperson said that Roche had assessed the development of RG7929/POL7080 and deemed that the original plan for the antibiotic's creation is not an option for the company any longer.
It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of patients all over the world die from superbug-related infections every year, including those from gonorrhea, tuberculosis and drug-resistant typhoid.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has described the increased resistance of superbugs to antibiotic treatment as a most major health obstacle for medical professionals in the 21st century.
Roche said that the resistance of superbugs to antibiotics remains as a serious danger to the health of the public and that the drug maker would continue its efforts in stemming the threat as part of the company's focus on infectious diseases.
Despite Roche's withdrawal from the project, Polyphor said that it will continue the development of the RG7929/POL7080 antibiotic on its own.
The company said that it's ongoing study regarding ventilator-linked pneumonia related to Pseudomonas aeruginosa is progressing as planned.
It is also preparing to have talks with regulatory officials about the design and other details of a pivotal trial for the antibiotic.
