TAXIS has received a $2.9 million grant to further advance R&D efforts for its dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors (DHFRIs) as a novel approach to combat multi-drug resistant gonorrhea, a rapidly spreading deadly and highly resistant strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
MIAMI, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- TAXIS Pharmaceuticals, a clinical stage company at the forefront of developing therapies to treat multidrug-resistant bacterial infections and combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), announced today that it has received a $2.9 million grant, to be awarded over three years, from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), one of the institutes of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant will allow TAXIS to further advance R&D efforts for its dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors (DHFRIs) as a novel approach to combat multi-drug resistant gonorrhea (MDRSG, commonly referred to as Super Gonorrhea), a rapidly spreading deadly and highly resistant strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
DHFRIs target and inhibit the essential bacterial enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), thereby blocking DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis, resulting in cell death. TAXIS' oral, first-in-class investigational DHFRIs targeting MDRSG successfully eradicated MDRSG in animal efficacy models.
Super gonorrhea poses a critical public health challenge due to its resistance to the last line of effective antibiotic treatment, ceftriaxone. Known for its severe symptoms and high transmission rates, super gonorrhea is escalating worldwide. Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are approximately 82 million new cases of gonorrhea each year, and in 2020, about half of all gonorrhea infections in the US were estimated to be resistant to at least one antibiotic.1,2
"This NIH grant is a critical step in enabling TAXIS to tackle the urgent threat posed by Super Gonorrhea," says Gregory G. Mario, MBA, President and CEO of TAXIS Pharmaceuticals. "Effective antibiotics are the foundation of modern medicine. Along with other innovative pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, we are committed to solving the antimicrobial resistance crisis – the number one threat to global societal health."
Ajit Parhi, PhD, Principal Investigator and Chief Scientific Officer at TAXIS, adds, "Our DHFRIs have demonstrated pre-clinical potential in overcoming resistance barriers, offering a significant breakthrough for future treatment. This NIH grant further validates our scientific approach and the vital role that DHFRIs can play in addressing this growing public health challenge."
This news marks the second multi-year, multi-million dollar NIH grant awarded to TAXIS Pharmaceuticals within a 12-month period, following a $2.67 million NIH grant in May 2024 to further R&D of its investigational efflux pump inhibitor (EPI) candidate, a combination therapy intended to combat antibiotic-resistant pneumonia. TAXIS's two NIH grant awards follow a 2020 CARB-X grant award that provided TAXIS $3.2 million in non-dilutive funding to develop its investigational EPIs. TAXIS is seeking additional funding and partnerships with drug manufacturers to continue the development and commercialization of its investigational DHFRIs, its EPIs, and its broader portfolio of therapies aimed at addressing the escalating burden of antimicrobial resistance.
Research mentioned in this press release was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease of the National Institutes of Health Under Award Number 1R44AI191886-01. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the views of the National Institutes of Health.
About TAXIS Pharmaceuticals
TAXIS Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage company developing new classes of anti-resistance therapies to treat life-threatening, multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Our investigational drug candidates – including efflux pump inhibitors, dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors, and FtsZ inhibitors – aim to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). TAXIS' investigational therapies currently target several different bacterial pathogens, many of which are on the WHO Priority Pathogen List. Our mission is to reduce and potentially eliminate the threat of current and emergent antimicrobial resistant bacteria across a wide range of infectious diseases and save lives. To learn more, visit: https://taxispharma.com/.
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References:
1. World Health Organization. "Multi-Drug Resistant Gonorrhoea." World Health Organization, 4 July 2024, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/multi-drug-resistant-gonorrhoea. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
2. Johnson, Arianna. "Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhea Found in U.S. Here's What to Know." Forbes, 20 Jan. 2023, www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/01/20/antibiotic-resistant-gonorrhea-found-in-us-heres-what-to-know/. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
Media Contact:
Jennifer Ringler, MS
ReadHealthy Communications
973-647-5004
Media Contact
Jennifer Ringler, TAXIS Pharmaceuticals, 1 973-647-5004, [email protected]
SOURCE TAXIS Pharmaceuticals
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