Secures exclusive in-licensing rights from Infex Therapeutics

Venus Remedies has entered into an exclusive license agreement with Infex Therapeutics, a UK-based anti-infectives specialist for the clinical development of MET-X. This agreement authorises Venus Remedies to spearhead the clinical development, registration, and commercialisation of MET-X, an innovative metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) inhibitor. The initial development phase will focus on integrating MET-X with meropenem to tackle drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, with Venus Remedies holding exclusive marketing rights within India.

Under the terms of the agreement, Venus Remedies will commence with a Phase I trial involving healthy volunteers in India, evaluating MET-X in combination with meropenem. Following successful Phase I outcomes, the focus will shift to Phase II/III trials targeting drug-resistant Complicated Urinary Tract Infections (cUTIs), prevalent in hospital settings.

All trials conducted in India will adhere to international standards and compliant with regulations from the FDA, EMA, and MHRA, which will also support further development and global commercialisation efforts for MET-X. The agreement grants both Infex Therapeutics and Venus Remedies the option to expand their collaboration to include other MET-X/beta-lactam combinations under mutually agreed terms.

Saransh Chaudhary, President, Global Critical Care, Venus Remedies and CEO, Venus Medicine Research Centre, said, “This early-stage introduction of MET-X into the Indian market leverages our decades-long
dedication to AMR-focused R&D and our prominent role in critical care and antibiotic therapies. This partnership is perfectly poised to enhance our antibiotic arsenal with meropenem and explore further beta-lactam combinations, ensuring high-quality research and a significant market presence.”

Pawan Chaudhary, CMD, Venus Remedies, “The in-licensing of MET-X is a major step forward in providing breakthrough solutions for drug-resistant infections, a serious threat to India’s healthcare ecosystem. We aim to develop an effective solution against MBL-producing pathogens, fulfilling a critical healthcare need and continuing our commitment to transformative therapies and sustained innovation in critical care.”

Dr Peter Jackson, CEO, Infex Therapeutics, said, “I am delighted about this agreement with Venus Remedies, which will facilitate the comprehensive clinical development of our MET-X programme in India. By leveraging Venus Remedies’ robust expertise in critical care antibiotics, we can accelerate MET-X as our second clinical-stage drug program. Crucially, the international standards of these trials will also support future regulatory filings in the UK, the US, Europe, and other global markets. MET-X has shown best-in-class performance in preclinical studies and could be game-changing for patients suffering from Gram-negative, MBL-resistant infections.”