Venatorx Pharmaceuticals Announces FDA Acceptance and Priority Review of New Drug Application for Cefepime-Taniborbactam to Treat Complicated Urinary Tract Infections (cUTI), including Pyelonephritis, in Adults

Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, a private, pre-commercial pharmaceutical company focused on improving health outcomes for patients with difficult-to-treat drug resistant gram-negative bacterial infections and viral infections, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the company’s New Drug Application (NDA) for cefepime-taniborbactam, an investigational beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor (BL/BLI) antibiotic for the potential treatment of adult patients with complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), including pyelonephritis. The FDA previously granted Qualified Infectious Disease Product and Fast Track designations to cefepime-taniborbactam. The FDA has granted Priority Review of the NDA with a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date of February 22, 2024.

“The NDA acceptance represents the culmination of unwavering dedication, scientific excellence, and the collaborative efforts of our talented team, partners, and clinical investigators,” said Christopher J. Burns, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Venatorx. “Cefepime-taniborbactam exemplifies our commitment to innovation and improving patient outcomes. By addressing the evolving and increasing challenges posed by antimicrobial resistance, we aim to make a meaningful impact on global public health.”

The cefepime-taniborbactam NDA is supported by results from the pivotal Phase 3 study, CERTAIN-1, evaluating the efficacy and safety of cefepime-taniborbactam compared to meropenem in adults with cUTI, including acute pyelonephritis. Cefepime-taniborbactam was superior to meropenem for the primary efficacy endpoint of composite microbiologic and clinical success at the Test of Cure (TOC) visit (Day 19-23) in the microbiological intent-to-treat (microITT) population. Cefepime-taniborbactam was well-tolerated and no new safety findings were identified.

“Due to its broad spectrum of in-vitro activity against established and rapidly increasing mechanisms of carbapenem resistance such as serine- and metallo-beta-lactamases and the positive results demonstrated in CERTAIN-1, cefepime-taniborbactam, if approved, will address a critical unmet need and be a potentially essential treatment option in the continuing fight against antimicrobial resistance in gram-negative bacterial infections,” said Paul McGovern, M.D., Senior Vice President, Medical Sciences at Venatorx. “Patients with cUTIs, including pyelonephritis, and their healthcare providers should have a new treatment option when confronted with infections due to these antibacterial resistant infections.”