MENLO PARK, Calif. — September 28, 2026
AN2 Therapeutics, Inc. announced that the Gates Foundation has extended funding supporting the company’s ongoing tuberculosis (TB) research collaboration with GSK. The collaboration focuses on the discovery and development of boron-based leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LeuRS) inhibitors as potential new treatments for tuberculosis. AN2 said the additional funding will support continued research activities under the collaboration and builds on the companies’ work to explore boron chemistry as an approach to challenging infectious-disease targets. The program is focused on identifying differentiated small-molecule candidates against LeuRS, a clinically validated target in infectious disease. The funding extension provides additional support for research activities but does not represent clinical efficacy or regulatory approval of a new TB therapy.
Boron Chemistry Targets LeuRS in Tuberculosis
The research collaboration is focused on LeuRS, an enzyme required for bacterial protein synthesis and a validated therapeutic target. AN2 is applying its proprietary boron chemistry platform to develop inhibitors designed to interfere with LeuRS activity in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium responsible for TB. The target has also been explored in other anti-infective programs, including epetraborole, which is being developed for Mycobacterium abscessus lung disease, and ganfeborole, which has demonstrated proof-of-concept efficacy in a Phase 2 TB study. Tavaborole, another LeuRS-targeting boron-containing compound, is FDA-approved as a topical antifungal. AN2 said its chemistry platform can generate potent inhibitors against LeuRS and other targets that may be difficult to address through traditional medicinal chemistry approaches.
GSK Collaboration Receives Continued Gates Foundation Support
The Gates Foundation’s funding extension supports continued research activities conducted by AN2 under its collaboration with GSK, providing additional resources for the advancement of boron-based LeuRS inhibitors. The companies are working to build on established knowledge surrounding boron chemistry and LeuRS biology while exploring potential new therapeutic approaches for TB. AN2 and GSK said continued collaboration is aimed at advancing innovative science that could contribute to future treatment options. The current announcement concerns research funding and development activities rather than a clinical-stage milestone for a specific TB candidate. Additional preclinical research and subsequent clinical development would be required before any candidate from the program could demonstrate safety and efficacy in patients.
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AN2 Addresses Global Tuberculosis Treatment Need
Tuberculosis remains a major global infectious-disease challenge, with an estimated 10.7 million people developing TB worldwide in 2024, according to the company’s cited data. Existing treatment regimens have improved outcomes but continue to leave significant unmet needs, creating demand for new therapeutic approaches. AN2 is developing small-molecule medicines from its boron chemistry platform across infectious diseases, hematologic disorders and oncology. The company said its pipeline includes Phase 2 programs, preclinical candidates and research efforts targeting additional disease areas. Through the extended GSK collaboration, AN2 is continuing to investigate LeuRS inhibition as a potential approach to TB treatment, with support from the Gates Foundation directed toward research intended to advance the underlying drug-discovery program.
Source :AN2 Therapeutics, press release
