Summit Therapeutics plc announced that the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority has expanded its award for the clinical and regulatory development of Summit’s precision antibiotic ridinilazole for the treatment of C. difficile infection by $8.8 million. The additional funding is being provided to support a new clinical trial in adolescent patients and brings the total value of the award to up to $72.5 million. The adolescent clinical trial is expected to support a New Drug Application for ridinilazole and also form part of a package of work with the potential to provide an additional six months market exclusivity for ridinilazole in the U.S and Europe. The total committed funding from the BARDA award is now $62.4 million, with one final option of $10.1 million remaining to be exercised at BARDA’s sole discretion. The final option provides funding support for potential applications for marketing approvals of ridinilazole. The BARDA contract provides for a cost-sharing arrangement with the committed funding drawn down over a specified development period.