CLB073

CLB073 is an investigational small molecule compound developed for the treatment of tuberculosis (TB), including drug-resistant forms. It works by modulating cholesterol catabolism in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), specifically activating the bacterial adenylyl cyclase enzyme Rv1625c. This activation blocks Mtb’s ability to metabolize cholesterol, effectively starving the bacteria of a key carbon source required for its survival within host macrophages. By targeting this unique metabolic pathway, CLB073 weakens Mtb’s intramacrophage survival and has demonstrated significant efficacy in preclinical mouse models, especially when combined with standard-of-care regimens like Nix-TB. The drug was discovered through a collaboration between Calibr (a division of Scripps Research) and Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, and is now being further developed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute under an exclusive license[1][2][3][4][6][7].