CARB-X Funds Harvard Research to Combat Drug-Resistant Infections with $2.4 Million Investment
Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) has awarded the Andrew G. Myers Research Group at Harvard University a total of $2.4 million to develop novel antibiotics targeting drug-resistant bacterial pathogens. This funding supports two distinct projects aimed at addressing the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.
New Funding for Lipoprotein Transport Inhibitors
On March 4, 2026, CARB-X announced a $1.2 million award to the Myers Research Group to develop a new class of lipoprotein transport inhibitors. These enhanced antibiotics specifically target multi-drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, including Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, which cause urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and bloodstream infections. CARB-X highlights the novelty of this approach, noting the unique and narrow spectrum of the antibacterial target. The compounds demonstrate effectiveness against extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)–producing Enterobacterales and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), without exhibiting cross-resistance to other antibiotic classes.
Richard Alm, Interim Chief of Research and Development at CARB-X, emphasized the critical need for new Gram-negative antibiotics, stating, “Drug-resistant E. Coli and K. Pneumoniae cause a significant number of life-threatening infections worldwide, yet the pipeline for novel Gram-negative antibiotics remains dangerously thin.”
Second CARB-X Award for Oral Antibiotics
This latest award builds upon a previous $1.2 million investment from CARB-X in February 2024. That initial funding supported the development of synthetically enhanced oral antibiotics for drug-resistant lower respiratory tract and skin and other soft-tissue infections. Harvard’s Office of Technology Development reported that the earlier award allowed the Myers Research Group to advance their work in discovering antibiotics for infections resistant to current therapies.
Andrew Myers stated, “The award from CARB-X allows the Myers Research Group to further advance our work to discover antibiotics to treat infectious diseases emerging in hospitals and the community that are resistant to current therapies.”
CARB-X’s Commitment to Fighting Antibiotic Resistance
Since its founding in 2016, CARB-X has funded 123 early-stage projects focused on treating, preventing, and diagnosing antibiotic-resistant infections. CIDRAP reports that 14 of these projects are currently in late-stage clinical development, with three having already reached the market. This ongoing investment underscores the urgency of addressing the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance.