The United States (US) Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have listed multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter and MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa as serious threats [CDC, 2019]. Consistent with the global nature of these resistant bacteria, the World Health Organization (WHO) has designated carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, and carbapenem resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa as critical threats [WHO, 2017].~To combat these serious threats Qpex has developed QPX9003, a next generation polymyxin that is more potent than existing polymyxins against P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii and has exhibited less nephrotoxicity in preclinical studies.~There remains a significant unmet need for new IV agents to treat gram-negative infections due to resistant bacteria in hospital settings. Some progress has been made in the successful development of new agents to address drug-resistant infections, particularly IV agents for resistant gram-negative bacteria [Talbot et al, 2019]. While some of these agents have addressed urgent threats like carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), their activity is largely confined to strains producing serine carbapenemases; none of these agents have reliable activity against metallo beta-lactamase producing CRE. Moreover, none of these recently approved agents have activity against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii [Talbot et al, 2019]. The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria, in particular carbapenemase producing Enterobacteriaceae, A. baumannii, and P. aeruginosa, has resulted in an increase in the use of polymyxin antibiotics as salvage therapy [Biswas et al. 2017].~This Phase 1 study will assess the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of single and multiple IV administered ascending doses (SAD/MAD) of IV QPX9003 in healthy adult subjects.~Qpex is developing IV QPX9003 which is a next generation polymyxin with activity against multi-drug resistant A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa
The worldwide spread of resistance to antibiotics among gram-negative bacteria, particularly members of the ESKAPE group of pathogens, has resulted in a crisis in the treatment of hospital acquired infections. In particular, the presence of multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in hospitals around the world poses a considerable threat.~.