5N Plus Inc. (5N Plus) and Microbion Corporation (Microbion) jointly announced that the parties have entered into a strategic relationship for the development, manufacturing and commercial drug substance supply of Microbion's new class of antibiotic and antibiofilm drugs. Under the terms of the agreement, 5N Plus has taken an equity stake in Microbion and will assume responsibility for the manufacturing of Bismuth-based Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) required in Microbion's family of drug products currently under development, including the company's lead API, pravibismane. Microbion retains responsibility for the development, manufacturing and commercialization of the final drug products currently under development. In recent years, effective treatments for bacterial infections have become ever more critical, as some bacteria have become increasingly resistant to existing drug therapies. Microbion's approach has been to develop a new class of microbial bioenergetic inhibitors that arrest the activities of a broad range of offending pathogens. Pravibismane, the first in this new class of anti-infectives, has demonstrated impressive antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against a wide range of Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens, including multiple priority pathogens or "superbugs" as identified by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As the world's leading producer of Bismuth-based API compounds, 5N Plus is uniquely positioned to support Microbion in the development of this new class of compound. In the initial phase of the collaboration between the two companies, 5N Plus will be supporting Microbion's clinical development programs. Pravibismane suspension for topical/local administration is currently in Phase 2 for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer infections and orthopedic-device infections. Inhaled pravibismane is in late pre-clinical studies for the treatment of chronic lung infections. The inhaled pravibismane program is receiving up to $17.1 million in non- dilutive development funding support from CARB-X (Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator) and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, as previously announced by Microbion. Microbion Corporation has closed a Series A financing of $25 million from GHS Fund (Quark Venture LP and GF Securities). Developing pravibismane for targeted, localized administration provides not only the ability to treat specific areas of severe unmet medical need, but also is an approach that can result in significant commercial opportunity within the anti-infectives field.