World News

Roche moves antibiotic for superbug to Phase 3 of testing

By
Sarah Ng
Published May 28, 2025, 1:58 p.m. ET

FRANKFURT — Swiss drugmaker Roche (ROG.S), said on Monday it would advance testing of an antibiotic against a common drug-resistant bacteria that causes serious hospital infections into the third and last phase of testing on humans.

Vials of liquid on a white table and the logo of a large pharmaceutical company Roche. March 15, Barnaul, Russia.
Drugmaker Roche is advancing testing of an antibiotic against a common drug-resistant bacteria into the third and last phase of testing on humans. diy13 – stock.adobe.com
A new antibiotic (zosurabalpin, red) traps lipopolysaccharide (orange) in the intermembrane transporter of the Gram-negative bacterium Acinetobacter baylyi
The experimental antibiotic zosurabalpin was jointly developed with Harvard University. Juan Gärtner – stock.adobe.com

Roche said in a statement that the experimental antibiotic zosurabalpin, jointly developed with Harvard University, would be tested against acinetobacter baumannii, relying on a new mode of action that bacteria have not developed resistance against.

Drug-resistant acinetobacter are present across the world and disproportionately impact patients who are in hospital, causing serious infections like pneumonia and sepsis, the company added.