The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service has partnered with Parsippany, N.J.-based The Medicines Company and Basel, Switzerland-based Hoffmann-LaRoche, part of the Roche Group, to develop new antibiotics to combat the rise of drug-resistant bacterial infections.
Under the agreement, both biopharmaceutical manufacturers will receive fiscal backing from the HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. BARDA will provide The Medicines Company more than $32 million over four years and potentially more than $132 million over five years. For Roche, BARDA will allot more than $35 million over two years and potentially more than $151.6 million over five years.
"Combating the rise of antimicrobial resistant infections requires innovation, nimbleness and collaboration — all of which are components of these new agreements," said Richard Hatchett, MD, BARDA acting director. "These partnerships allow BARDA and its partners to respond rapidly to new discoveries, technical developments and strategic priorities by quickly refocusing our portfolios."
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