Bug money

Despite the tremendous public health need and the introduction of regulatory incentives including expedited review and market exclusivity, venture investing in antibiotics remains modest and focused primarily on clinical assets seeking to improve on known classes of small molecule antibiotics. But a small contingent is backing new mechanisms and preclinical assets that could avoid resistance for longer.

Since January 2015, VCs have invested just $1 billion in companies whose lead assets are intended to treat or prevent bacterial infection. The amount is about 4% of total venture funding during the same period (see “Betting Against Bugs”)...