Development of Pan -beta-lactamase inhibitors (Pan-BLIs) with activity against both serine- and metallo-beta-lactamases, including SHV, CTX-M, KPC, OXA, VIM and NDM-1.

A new antibiotic-enhancing drug called VNRX-5133 is being pushed through early-stage human safety trials after completing required animal toxicology studies. This matters because many dangerous bacteria now produce enzymes called beta-lactamases that destroy standard antibiotics like penicillins and carbapenems. Current beta-lactamase inhibitors only work against one class of these enzymes—the serine type—leaving metallo-beta-lactamases untouched. VNRX-5133 is designed to block both types, including the notorious NDM-1 enzyme that makes bacteria resistant to nearly all beta-lactam antibiotics. If the Phase I trials succeed, VNRX-5133 would be approved for Phase II proof-of-concept testing in infected patients. The drug is intended for use in combination with the antibiotic meropenem, potentially restoring its effectiveness against multi-drug-resistant infections. This could give clinicians a treatment option for hospital-acquired infections that currently have few or no effective therapies—a problem that quietly drives up mortality rates in intensive care units and complicates routine surgeries. The project does not address fundamental biological questions; it is a straightforward drug development programme with a defined regulatory pathway.