The Basel-based biopharmaceutical company BioVersys has announced an expanded strategic partnership with GSK and the extension of its Series C financing round by 12.3 million Swiss francs. According to a press release, the clinical development of alpibectir for the treatment of tuberculosis (TB) is to be accelerated in conjunction with GSK.

Developed in collaboration between GSK, the Pasteur Institute of Lille and the University of Lille, alpibectir is currently being studied in pulmonary TB patients in South Africa. The active ingredient represents a completely new concept for overcoming resistance, as the press release states. GSK and BioVersys will continue to work together beyond the current Phase 2a study to make alpibectir available to patients as quickly as possible.

As part of the expanded collaboration, GSK will participate in the latest BioVersys financing round with an equity investment, according to the press release. Together with further investments from existing and new investors, the Series C financing round will be extended by 12.3 million Swiss francs, bringing the total proceeds from the previous Series C financing round to 44.9 million Swiss francs overall.

New treatment plan for tuberculosis

“Together with GSK, we successfully advanced the development of alpibectir for TB, having recently completed the TRIC-TB public-private partnership program with the delivery of a Phase 2-ready anti-TB molecule”, as Dr. Marc Gitzinger, Chief Executive Officer and founder of BioVersys, explains in the press release. The aim of the collaboration with GSK is to develop a new treatment plan for tuberculosis, Gitzinger states.

“GSK is committed to changing the trajectory of tuberculosis and we’re excited to expand our partnership with BioVersys in the continued development of alpibectir, a drug candidate with the potential to broaden the treatment options for TB”, comments Thomas Breuer, Chief Global Health Officer at GSK, in the press release.