Immuron Partners With Monash University To Combat Antimicrobial Resistance

(RTTNews) - Immuron Limited (IMRN), an Australian-based biopharmaceutical company, Wednesday, announced a new research collaboration with Monash University to develop therapeutic drug candidates aimed at combating antimicrobial-resistant pathogens.

This partnership will utilize Immuron's proprietary technology platform alongside the expertise of the Biomedicine Discovery Institute at Monash University, led by Professor Dena Lyras.

The primary goal of the collaboration is to address the growing global challenge of AMR, which poses a serious threat to healthcare systems worldwide. Immuron's technology will be applied to identify and develop drugs that can target the underlying mechanisms through which bacteria share and transfer DNA.

In the initial stages of the collaboration, Immuron will fund the research activities through its existing research budget, with no additional funding required. Following the results of the research, the two parties will discuss, without obligation, the possibility of jointly developing or commercializing the outcomes of these projects on commercially reasonable terms.

The collaboration will focus on two major research projects. The first will investigate how bacteria exchange DNA, which can rapidly alter their characteristics and contribute to the emergence of AMR.

The second project will focus on Vancomycin-resistant enterococci, a type of bacteria that is resistant to the antibiotic vancomycin. VRE is a significant healthcare concern, particularly in hospital and nursing home environments where it affects vulnerable populations, including the elderly and immunosuppressed patients.

The global market for antibiotics is projected to reach $57 billion by 2026, driven by the rising prevalence of drug-resistant infections such as VRE. This creates a growing demand for new and innovative treatments, making the research and development of AMR-targeting drugs crucial for the future of healthcare.

IMRN is currently trading at $2.03 down 1.78 percent or $0.03 on the Nasdaq.