AMRI has entered a research and licensing agreement with Roche subsidiary Genentech to develop antibacterial compounds from AMRI’s natural products sample collection.

Genentech will have an exclusive license to develop and commercialize multiple potential products from AMRI’s antibacterial program. AMRI will receive an upfront license fee and research funding, and will be eligible to receive development regulatory milestones and royalties on sales of any commercialized compounds.

“We are very pleased to announce this collaboration with Genentech,” said AMRI’s vice president of R&D, Bruce J. Sargent, Ph.D. “As resistance to existing drugs continues to emerge, there is an urgent need for new antibiotic agents. This exciting collaboration brings together AMRI’s strengths and experience in small-molecule drug discovery, biology and chemistry with Genentech’s leading position in novel drug discovery and development.”