Summit Discovers Multiple New Mechanism Antibiotics Against Novel ESKAPE Pathogen Targets
September 06 2018 - 3:00AM
Summit Therapeutics plc (‘Summit’ or the
’Company’)Summit Discovers Multiple New Mechanism Antibiotics
Against Novel ESKAPE Pathogen Targets
- Discovery Enabled by Discuva Platform and Proprietary
Bacterial Libraries
Oxford, UK, and Cambridge, MA, US, 6
September 2018 – Summit Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ: SMMT, AIM:
SUMM), a leader in new mechanism antibiotic innovation, announced
today the discovery of multiple new mechanism antibiotics against
novel ESKAPE pathogen targets. Commonly referred to as superbugs,
the ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus,
Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas
aeruginosa, Enterobacter spp.) collectively comprise the leading
cause of hospital-acquired infections globally. New classes of
antibiotics are urgently needed to address these pathogens that are
increasingly developing resistance to existing antibiotic drug
classes.
“We believe we are building a very different
antibiotics company that focuses on bringing innovation to an area
of high unmet need. With new science, we believe the threat of
ESKAPE pathogens and other serious infectious diseases can
potentially be solved,” commented Mr Glyn Edwards, Chief
Executive Officer of Summit. “At the core of our innovation is
our powerful Discuva Platform. The platform allows us to uncover
possible new ways to combat the potentially deadly ESKAPE
pathogens. We can then aim to exploit this knowledge through the
discovery and development of targeted new mechanism
antibiotics.”
Summit’s Discuva Platform utilises proprietary
libraries of mutant bacteria to identify genes which are essential
for bacteria to survive. Summit’s libraries provide coverage across
the ESKAPE pathogens. Through the Discuva Platform, Summit has
identified essential ESKAPE pathogen genes, which could represent
novel drug targets against these pathogens. Several of these
targets are now the focus of Summit’s drug development programmes,
with the platform having already discovered potential new mechanism
antibiotics against them.
“We believe the identification of novel targets
gives us the potential to develop the right drugs for the right
bacteria, infection and patient. That would enable us to ensure
that our antibiotics truly meet the needs of patients, their
treating physicians and healthcare providers and to promote
antibiotic stewardship,” added Dr David Roblin, President of
R&D of Summit. “We believe this approach will afford us the
opportunity to replace the current standards of care for these
serious infections caused by the ESKAPE pathogens and bring
potentially life-saving treatments to patients.”
About Summit Therapeutics Summit
Therapeutics is a leader in antibiotic innovation. Our new
mechanism antibiotics are designed to become the new standards of
care for the benefit of patients, and create value for payors and
healthcare providers. We are currently developing new mechanism
antibiotics for C. difficile infection and gonorrhoea and are using
our proprietary Discuva Platform to expand our pipeline. For more
information, visit www.summitplc.com and follow us on Twitter
@summitplc.
This announcement contains inside information
for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014 (MAR).
Contacts
Summit |
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Glyn Edwards / Richard Pye (UK office) |
Tel: |
44 (0)1235 443 951 |
Erik Ostrowski / Michelle Avery (US office) |
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+1 617 225 4455 |
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Cairn Financial Advisers LLP (Nominated
Adviser) |
Tel: |
+44 (0)20 7213 0880 |
Liam Murray / Tony Rawlinson |
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N+1 Singer (Joint Broker) |
Tel: |
+44 (0)20 7496 3000 |
Aubrey Powell / Jen Boorer, Corporate FinanceTom
Salvesen, Corporate Broking |
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Panmure Gordon (Joint Broker) |
Tel: |
+44 (0)20 7886 2500 |
Freddy Crossley, Corporate FinanceJames Stearns,
Corporate Broking |
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MSL Group (US) |
Tel: |
+1 781 684 6557 |
Jon Siegal |
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summit@mslgroup.com |
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Consilium Strategic Communications (UK) |
Tel: |
+44 (0)20 3709 5700 |
Mary-Jane Elliott / Jessica Hodgson / |
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summit@consilium-comms.com |
Lindsey Neville |
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Summit Forward-looking Statements
Any statements in this press release about the
Company’s future expectations, plans and prospects, including but
not limited to, statements about the potential benefits of the
CARB-X award, including whether the option segments will be
exercised, the clinical and preclinical development of the
Company’s product candidates, the therapeutic potential of the
Company’s product candidates, the potential commercialisation of
the Company’s product candidates, the sufficiency of the Company’s
cash resources, the timing of initiation, completion and
availability of data from clinical trials, the potential submission
of applications for marketing approvals and other statements
containing the words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could,"
"estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential,"
"predict," "project," "should," "target," "would," and similar
expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the
meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such
forward-looking statements as a result of various important
factors, including: the uncertainties inherent in the initiation of
future clinical trials, availability and timing of data from
ongoing and future clinical trials and the results of such trials,
whether preliminary results from a clinical trial will be
predictive of the final results of that trial or whether results of
early clinical trials or preclinical studies will be indicative of
the results of later clinical trials, expectations for regulatory
approvals, laws and regulations affecting government contracts and
funding awards, availability of funding sufficient for the
Company’s foreseeable and unforeseeable operating expenses and
capital expenditure requirements and other factors discussed in the
"Risk Factors" section of filings that the Company makes with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s Annual
Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended 31 January 2018.
Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements or information. In addition, any
forward-looking statements included in this press release represent
the Company’s views only as of the date of this release and should
not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any
subsequent date. The Company specifically disclaims any obligation
to update any forward-looking statements included in this press
release.
-END-
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