GARDP and Debiopharm Partner to Advance Antibiotic for Drug-Resistant Gonorrhea

The Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership (GARDP) and Swiss biopharmaceutical company Debiopharm have announced a new collaboration and licensing agreement to advance Debio1453, a novel antibiotic candidate targeting Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacterium responsible for gonorrhea. With an estimated 82 million new infections each year and rising antimicrobial resistance, gonorrhea has become a major global health threat, placing urgent pressure on the development of new treatment options.

“This collaboration with GARDP is a pioneering public-private model to expand global access to this innovative new drug candidate,” Morgane Vanbiervliet, director of Global Development and Licensing at Debiopharm, said in a statement. “It signals a decisive step toward restoring effective treatment options for patients with multidrug-resistant gonorrhea while supporting long-term antibiotic sustainability.”

Multidrug Resistant Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is increasingly difficult to treat due to resistance to nearly all commonly used antibiotics. Ceftriaxone, the last remaining recommended first-line therapy, is now facing growing resistance in multiple regions. Although two new first-in-class treatments were approved in late 2025, experts warn that without sustained innovation, drug-resistant “super gonorrhea” could outpace antibiotic development. The GARDP–Debiopharm partnership aims to help prevent that outcome by replenishing the depleted antibiotic pipeline.

Debio1453 is a first-in-class antibacterial agent that targets the FabI enzyme, which is essential for bacterial survival. Importantly, it has demonstrated strong activity against multidrug-resistant gonorrhea strains and shows no cross-resistance with existing antibiotic classes—an advantage that could help extend its clinical usefulness over time.

Funding for Drug Development

With funding from the Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X), Debio1453 advanced from a preclinical compound to a clinical-stage asset. Under the new agreement, Debiopharm will complete the phase 1 clinical trial, while GARDP will lead additional non-clinical and clinical development, as well as chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) activities. The organizations will also align development and access strategies with country-specific regulatory, health system, and economic needs.

To ensure broad global access, Debiopharm has granted GARDP manufacturing and commercialization rights in more than 160 countries. This approach reflects GARDP’s mission to bring new antibiotics to market in a way that addresses both public health needs and access challenges, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

“GARDP is committed to bringing new classes of antibiotics to market to tackle the rise and spread of antimicrobial resistance,” Manica Balasegaram, MRCP, executive director of GARDP, said in a statement. “This partnership shows the flexibility of our public-private model and highlights the value of Swiss for-profit and non-profit organizations working together on global health solutions.”

Untreated gonorrhea can cause severe health complications, including infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and increased HIV transmission risk. Newborns exposed during childbirth may suffer serious eye infections that can lead to blindness. As resistance spreads and surveillance remains limited—especially in resource-poor settings—the true burden of treatment failure is likely higher than reported.

By advancing Debio1453, GARDP and Debiopharm aim to protect the future of gonorrhea treatment, reduce the global health burden of antimicrobial resistance, and ensure that this common infection remains curable for generations to come.

Reference
1. GARDP and Debiopharm Partner to Advance Development of Novel Gonorrhea Drug. BusinessWire. January 13, 2026. Accessed January 19, 2026.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260113665844/en/GARDP-and-Debiopharm-Partner-to-Advance-Development-of-Novel-Gonorrhea-Drug