Kineticos Launches Kinvard Bio to Advance Next-Generation Antibiotics in the Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance

RALEIGH, N.C., Feb. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kineticos Life Sciences announces the launch of Kinvard Bio, Inc., a newly established anti-infectives biotech company based on groundbreaking research that has been exclusively licensed from the Myers Lab in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Harvard University and funded by the Kineticos AMR Accelerator Fund I (KAMRA I).

KAMRA I is dedicated to combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by investing in, creating, and supporting companies that are developing disruptive solutions to address this critical public health issue. Leveraging the Kineticos Foundry model, KAMRA I will apply its proven playbook and extensive experience in launching biotech and life science companies to provide Kinvard Bio with both financial and operational support, to achieve its vision.

A research team led by Professor Andy Myers in Harvard's Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology developed foundational innovations that could lead to an antibiotic capable of overcoming drug-resistant infections. Oxepanoprolinamides (OPPs) represent a distinct class of lincosamide antibiotics that are pre-organized for highly effective and differentiated binding to the bacterial ribosome. In preclinical studies, OPPs have proven effective against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial pathogens associated with clinical needs that remain unmet. While at the Myers Lab, the research received significant support from the Blavatnik Biomedical Accelerator and the Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X). CARB-X awarded the research team $1.2 million to profile several antimicrobial leads in studies aimed at advancing them to the later stages of the drug discovery pipeline. Harvard's Office of Technology Development licensed the technology to Kinvard Bio to facilitate the progression of the research toward clinical application.

Kinvard Bio is advancing its lead programs through preclinical optimization, with a focus on developing oral and IV formulations for the treatment of the most challenging acute and chronic drug-resistant infections, such as bacterial pneumonia, complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), and nontuberculosis mycobacteria lung disease (NTM-LD).

"The powerful synthetic methods we've developed at the Myers Lab have enabled us to create a series of compounds that hold great promise for treating superbugs resistant to standard treatments," stated Andy Myers, Amory Houghton Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Harvard. "Licensing these compounds and the synthetic platform for further development should accelerate the production of essential antibiotics to address the pressing global health issues caused by drug-resistant infections."

Led by Dr. Lloyd Payne, Kinvard Bio will utilize its platform chemistry to develop and advance this new class of antibiotics to clinical stage.

"I am thrilled to join Kinvard Bio and work with the team to progress a highly differentiated class of antibacterials with broad therapeutic potential towards the clinic," said Dr. Payne, CEO Kinvard Bio. "Partnering with KAMRA I represents an excellent opportunity to further develop the Myers Lab innovation and meet the critical need for new IV and oral antibiotics for the treatment of patients with challenging drug-resistant infections."

With a background in medicinal chemistry and over 25 years of experience in drug discovery and development, Dr. Payne has contributed to a broad range of therapeutic programs across oncology, inflammation, and infectious diseases. Dr. Payne was previously CEO of ArrePath, where he led the team that built a novel antibiotic discovery company utilizing AI. He also serves as a Venture Partner at KAMRA I as well as an advisor to leading sector-specific anti-infective investment funds, including the AMR Action Fund and the Novo Foundation REPAIR Impact Fund.

Dr. Payne is joined by co-founders of Kinvard Bio, Dr. Kelvin Wu and Dr. Ben Tresco, who both led the development of the OPP class of antibiotics while in the Myers Lab. Dr. Wu and Dr. Tresco will lead platform and product development, building the program pipeline and advancing the company's programs toward the clinic. Kinvard Bio is supported by a board of industry veterans led by Chairman Dr. Steve Gelone.

Dr. Richard Snyder, Member of the KAMRA I General Partnership, commented on the launch of this new Kineticos Foundry company from KAMRA I. "The novel technology developed by Drs. Myers, Wu, and Tresco represents a transformative advancement in the fight against AMR. Under the leadership of Dr. Payne, Kinvard Bio is well-positioned to successfully advance this innovative technology into the clinic, making a meaningful impact on patients affected by these devastating infections."

Research reported in this press release is supported by CARB-X. CARB-X's funding for this project is provided in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority; under agreement number: 75A50122C00028, and by awards from Wellcome (WT224842), Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and the UK Department of Health and Social Care as part of the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Innovation Fund (GAMRIF). The content of this press release is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of CARB-X or any of its funders. 

About Kinvard Bio
Kinvard Bio is developing a differentiated lincosamide class of antibiotics, the oxepanoprolinamides (OPPs), based on research from the Myers lab in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Harvard University. The OPP class is highly potent against multidrug-resistant gram positive and gram-negative bacteria, overcoming resistance to currently approved antibiotics. Kinvard Bio's focus is on infections representing significant global health burden and high unmet need such as complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP), hospital acquired / ventilator acquired bacterial pneumonia (HABP/VABP) and nontuberculosis mycobacteria lung disease (NTM-LD).

Contact: [email protected]
www.kinvardbio.com
LinkedIn:@Kinvard Bio

About Kineticos

Kineticos Life Sciences (Kineticos) envisions a world without antimicrobial resistance, cancer, and rare and neurodegenerative diseases. We are entrepreneurs helping entrepreneurs build companies to improve patient outcomes. Kineticos leverages our expertise, network, ecosystem, and capital to provide the most relevant insights and recommendations for our portfolio companies, building value every step of the way. Kineticos began investing in 2019 and has grown to ~$115M of Assets Under Management as of December 31, 2024.

Contact: [email protected]
www.kineticos.com
LinkedIn:@Kineticos

About Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global issue impacting lives at a higher rate each year. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that in some countries, more than 50% of infections caused by common bacteria are resistant to at least one commonly used antibiotic. The United Nations expects global deaths to rise to 10 million per year by 2050 if urgent action is not taken to combat AMR. To address the problem of AMR, there is a need for a multi-sectoral approach, and this includes investing in research and development of new antibiotics and alternative treatments.

SOURCE Kinvard Bio