Venus Remedies has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with UK-based Infex Therapeutics to develop and commercialize MET-X, a metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) inhibitor, in India. Under this collaboration, Venus Remedies will lead the clinical development, regulatory approvals, and marketing of MET-X, with an initial focus on combining it with meropenem to combat drug-resistant gram-negative bacteria.

Meropenem resistance in India is alarmingly high, with 62-87% resistance in critical WHO-priority pathogens like K. pneumoniae and A. baumannii, as per ICMR’s 2023 Antimicrobial Resistance report. The agreement grants Venus Remedies exclusive rights to market MET-X in India, starting with phase I trials involving healthy volunteers. Upon successful results, phase II/III trials will target complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs).

The clinical trials will adhere to FDA, EMA, and MHRA regulations, ensuring international compliance and paving the way for global commercialization. The agreement also includes an option to expand MET-X’s use with other beta-lactam antibiotics.

MET-X is a broad-spectrum MBL inhibitor designed to counteract resistance mechanisms in gram-negative bacteria, restoring antibiotic efficacy. Having demonstrated best-in-class performance in preclinical studies, it is positioned as a groundbreaking treatment against MBL-resistant infections, addressing a critical global health priority.