Pharmaceutical company Pfizer has acquired a privately held company Amplyx Pharmaceuticals for an undisclosed amount.
Amplyx is developing treatment for life-threatening diseases caused due to failing immune system.
The company’s lead compound, Fosmanogepix (APX001), is a novel broad-spectrum antifungal agent, which is under development to treat invasive fungal infections.
It is currently undergoing Phase II clinical trials to assess the safety and efficacy of intravenously (IV) and oral formulations to treat people with invasive fungal infections, such as Aspergillus spp and Candida spp.
According to Pfizer, over 1.5 million invasive fungal infection cases occur every year across the world with death rates ranging between 30% and 80%.
Currently, there are only three classes of antifungal treatments for such patients, and antifungal resistance can severely limit treatment options.
The company stated that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any new antifungal treatment in 20 years.
Pfizer Hospital global president Angela Lukin said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has been a stark reminder of the devastating impact of infectious diseases, highlighting the continuous need for new anti-infective therapies to treat both emerging and difficult to treat bacterial, viral and fungal infections.
“We are deeply committed to helping patients suffering from infectious diseases, continuously seeking opportunities to build our portfolio of anti-infective therapies.
“We’ve already invested in assets that, if approved, could help address drug-resistant bacterial infections and critical viral infections; with this acquisition, we look forward to progressing the development of a novel anti-fungal as well.”
The deal will allow Pfizer to advance its expertise in infectious disease and to expand its anti-infectious pipeline with the addition of Fosmanogepix.
Through the acquisition, the company has also secured ownership of Amplyx’s early-stage pipeline including potential antiviral (MAU868) and antifungal (APX2039) treatments.