Kineticos Unveils Kinvard Bio, a Biotech Focused on Drug-Resistant Infections

• Kineticos Life Sciences has launched Kinvard Bio, an anti-infectives biotech company, based on research from Harvard University’s Myers Lab.

• The company is backed by Kineticos AMR Accelerator Fund I (KAMRA I) and will develop novel antibiotics to combat drug-resistant infections.

Kineticos Life Sciences has announced the launch of Kinvard Bio, Inc., a biotech company dedicated to developing new antibiotics to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The company is built on research licensed exclusively from Harvard University’s Myers Lab and is financially supported by Kineticos AMR Accelerator Fund I (KAMRA I).

KAMRA I, an investment initiative focused on tackling AMR, will provide financial and operational support to Kinvard Bio. The company’s drug development pipeline is based on Oxepanoprolinamides (OPPs), a novel class of lincosamide antibiotics developed by Professor Andy Myers and his research team at Harvard’s Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. These antibiotics have shown promise in preclinical studies against drug-resistant bacterial pathogens. Harvard’s Office of Technology Development licensed the technology to Kinvard Bio to advance it toward clinical applications.

Kinvard Bio’s lead programs focus on oral and intravenous formulations targeting bacterial pneumonia, complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), and nontuberculosis mycobacteria lung disease (NTM-LD). Dr. Lloyd Payne, the company’s CEO, will lead the development of these antibiotics, leveraging his experience in drug discovery and medicinal chemistry. “Partnering with KAMRA I represents an excellent opportunity to further develop the Myers Lab innovations and meet the critical need for new IV and oral antibiotics for the treatment of patients with challenging drug-resistant infections,” said Dr. Payne.

The company’s leadership includes co-founders Dr. Kelvin Wu and Dr. Ben Tresco, who played key roles in developing the OPP antibiotic class. Dr. Steve Gelone serves as Chairman of the Board. Dr. Richard Snyder, a General Partner at KAMRA I, highlighted Kinvard Bio’s potential impact, stating that the technology represents a major advancement in the fight against AMR.

Kinvard Bio will now focus on preclinical optimization and preparing its antibiotic candidates for clinical trials, with the goal of addressing critical unmet medical needs in infectious diseases.