In April 2021, it was announced that Pfizer had acquired Amplyx Pharmaceuticals a preclinical stage company focused on the development of small molecule drugs with enhanced efficacy and lower toxicity - at this time developing a new treatment for drug-resistant "superbug" fungal infections in patients with compromised immune systems. Anchored in six patents licensed by Stanford with the inventor being one of the firm's founders, Amplyx has been strucrured around developing oral and injectable anti-infective drugs, including protease inhibitors and antibiotics. With an extensive portfolio of patent applications, Amplyx employs a platform approach to improve small molecule drugs by the addition of a second small molecule to an existing drug. The resulting, new therapeutic creates a more targeted molecule with the goal of improving treatment outcomes and improving compliance with treatment regimens. Amplyx Pharmaceuticals is developing novel, broad-spectrum antifungal agents for the treatment of life-threatening invasive fungal infections due to candida, aspergillus and rare molds. The company had novel broad spectrum treatments for drug-resistant fungal pathogens, less toxic HIV protease inhibitors, and a novel taxane for cancer therapeutics in the pipeline.
