Infex Therapeutics - Infex agrees collaboration with ADVANCE-ID

Infex Therapeutics Holdings plc

("Infex" or the "Company")

Infex agrees collaboration with Asian clinical trials network, ADVANCE-ID

Memorandum of Understanding signed to investigate hospital-acquired drug-resistant infections in Asia

Alderley Park, Cheshire, U.K. Infex Therapeutics, a leading anti-infectives specialist, announces that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) (the "Collaboration") with ADVANCE-ID, a clinical trials network comprising over 100 hospitals in Asia, to investigate hospital-acquired drug-resistant infections in patients across ADVANCE-ID's clinical research programme.

ADVANCE-ID, which is based at the National University of Singapore, has enrolled more than 10,000 patients with severe, hospital-acquired infections in their clinical research programme, many of which are caused by pathogens that are resistant to carbapenems, an important class of b-lactam antibiotic. These pathogens produce metallo-b-lactamase (MBL) enzymes which deactivate beta-lactam antibiotics, evading antibiotic clearance of disease. As part of the Collaboration, Infex will work with ADVANCE-ID to develop a research programme leading to new treatments for serious infections caused by carbapenem-resistant MBL enzyme producing bacteria. Current antibiotics do not satisfactorily deal with MBL enzymes and novel approaches are needed.

Infex is a clinical stage biotechnology company developing innovative new anti-infective therapeutics to treat the rising burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Infex specialises in early clinical development and is currently developing a metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL)-inhibitor, MET-X, that restores antibiotic activity by blocking the MBL mechanism of resistance. Infex and ADVANCE-ID will collaborate on the design and delivery of clinical trials to explore the use of MET-X alongside existing licensed therapies to target the high unmet need of MBL-producing organisms.

Hospital acquired infections have the highest rates of bacterial resistance due to antibiotic overuse, improper isolation practices, and prolonged stays of patients that are highly susceptible due to other comorbid conditions and the use of indwelling devices, such as catheters. AMR is responsible for at least 1.27 million deaths per year globally - with over 97,000 deaths in 2019 in southeast Asia alone.¹

Dr Peter Jackson, CEO of Infex Therapeutics, said: "Hospital acquired drug resistant infections are a critical issue for global health systems, with overuse of antibiotics causing particularly high rates of resistant bacterial strains in Asia. Many of these strains relate to MBL enzyme producing pathogens, which can deactivate an important class of b-lactam antibiotics called carbapenems. We are specialists in this area, given our expertise developing our MBL inhibitor programme MET-X, and we are delighted to work with ADVANCE-ID to develop a clinical research programme together, addressing hospital-acquired drug-resistant infections across their network of over 100 hospitals in Asia."

Professor David L. Paterson, Director of ADVANCE-ID, commented: "Our research has shown that MBL enzyme producing pathogens are a major cause of death in Asian hospitals. The availability of an effective MBL inhibitor would provide our patients with a greatly needed option for treatment. We look forward to partnering with Infex in designing clinical trials to evaluate their MBL inhibitor against these serious infections."

¹ https://www.tropmedres.ac/news/global-burden-of-bacterial-antimicrobial-resistance

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About Infex (www.infextx.com)

Infex Therapeutics Holdings plc is a leader in critical-priority infectious diseases, with a broad and diverse pipeline of innovative best-in-class and first-in-class drug candidates to address the urgent global shortage of novel anti-infective treatments. The Company is building a differentiated pipeline through in-house drug discovery, acquisition, co-development and in-licensing of early stage/pre-clinical candidates, developing them to clinical proof of concept before licensing to commercial pharma partners.

About ADVANCE-ID

ADVANCE-ID (Advancing Clinical Evidence in Infectious Disease) is a clinical trials network comprising over 100 hospitals in Asia with an operational hub at the National University of Singapore.