Increasing Prevalence of Hospital-Acquired Infections

Hospital-acquired infections, also known as nosocomial infections, are infections that patients acquire during the course of receiving treatment for other conditions within a healthcare setting. These types of infections can occur in any part of the body but are most common in the urinary, respiratory, and bloodstream. Pneumonia is one of the most common types of hospital-acquired infections, accounting for approximately 15% of all such infections. Acinetobacter baumannii is an increasingly important cause of hospital-associated pneumonia worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, Acinetobacter is one of the top three multidrug-resistant bacteria that pose the greatest threat to human health. The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant strains of Acinetobacter has become a serious concern in recent decades. Several factors have contributed to the rise of Acinetobacter as a significant pathogen, including its ability to survive on inanimate objects for prolonged periods and spread rapidly within healthcare facilities. The extensive use and misuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics have further exacerbated the problem by promoting the emergence and spread of resistant strains.

Lack of Effective Treatment Options

Treating Global Acinetobacter Pneumonia Therapeutics has become quite challenging, as many strains have grown resistant to a broad range of commonly used antibiotics. Once considered a relatively minor hospital pathogen, Acinetobacter has rapidly acquired resistance to virtually all available antibiotics, leaving few treatment alternatives. Multi-drug resistant and extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter species that are resistant even to carbapenem antibiotics (sometimes called “superbugs”) pose major therapeutic problems. Surveillance data indicates that more than 85% of Acinetobacter clinical isolates worldwide are now resistant to at least three different antibiotic classes. This leaves only a few “second-line” antibiotics such as colistin and tigecycline which can often achieve limited clinical success. However, resistance to these last resort drugs is also steadily emerging. Additionally, toxicities associated with existing treatment options often preclude their clinical use. As a result, Acinetobacter pneumonia currently has mortality rates as high as 70% for ventilator-associated cases. The lack of new antimicrobial agents and limited pipeline has created an urgent need for new drugs with novel mechanisms of action.

Development of Acinetobacter Pneumonia Therapeutics Industry

Given the growing impact of Acinetobacter infections and diminishing treatment options, pharmaceutical companies and biotechs have been actively pursuing the development of novel therapeutics to address this unmet need. Multiple potential drug candidates are currently under evaluation across various stages of clinical trials. BR-AUR364 from Biosergen is a new generation of antibacterial peptides, designed to overcome resistance. It has shown high activity against MDR Acinetobacter isolates in preclinical studies. Phase I trials are planned for late 2021. Venatorx Pharmaceuticals is developing VNRX-5133, a novel ß-lactamase inhibitor. It significantly restored the activity of aztreonam against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter in animal models. A Phase I trial in healthy volunteers was recently completed successfully. Entasis Therapeutics’ Zoliflodacin is an orally-available fluorocycline with activity against multi-drug resistant Gram-negatives. In a Phase II trial, it demonstrated potential as a treatment for hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia, including A. baumannii strains. Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals has two drugs in the pipeline - eravacycline (approved in 2018) and omadacycline. Both demonstrated efficacy against MDR Acinetobacter in various clinical trials evaluating their use in community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. Several other compounds are also in earlier stages of preclinical and clinical testing, offering hope for better management of this increasingly threatening infection in the future.

Acinetobacter Pneumonia Therapeutics Industry Growing Market Opportunity

The dire need for newer treatment options has fueled considerable interest from industry stakeholders in developing new anti-Acinetobacter agents. As mortality rates remain unacceptably high and resistance continues to spread, global demand for effective therapeutics is increasing rapidly. Market analysis indicates the worldwide Acinetobacter pneumonia drugs market was valued at $134 million in 2018 but is projected to experience very robust growth, reaching $326 million by 2025 as new therapies gain approvals and market uptake. North America currently dominates revenue share primarily due to higher healthcare spending capacity and faster market access for novel agents. However, Asian markets like China and India are expected to offer the highest growth opportunities over the coming years, driven by their huge patient populations and improving economic conditions supporting increased pharmaceutical investments. Overall rising disease burden, especially in healthcare facilities across both developed and emerging countries, will continue driving tremendous market potential for companies focused on meeting this unmet medical need. Success in the area of Acinetobacter pneumonia treatment therefore represents a major global commercial opportunity.

Acinetobacter has emerged as a serious hospital-acquired infection threat due to increasing antimicrobial resistance. The lack of adequate treatment options necessitates new drug discovery and development. Significant industry research efforts investigating novel therapeutic candidates provide hope that better management of Acinetobacter pneumonia can be achieved to improve patient outcomes. With no effective vaccines available yet, innovative antibiotics will remain crucial to address this growing global health challenge. Considering the lack of an alternative lucrative infection market and dire need to curb mortality, Acinetobacter infections also represent a highly lucrative commercial sector with potential for multiple approved agents and fierce competition among manufacturers. Progress in therapeutic innovations for this pathogen ensures continued growth in the long term.

Get more insights on Global Acinetobacter Pneumonia Therapeutics