Glox Therapeutics, a company that is pioneering the development of precision antibiotic therapies based on naturally occurring bacteriocins, announced it has been awarded a share of the £3 million Collaborative Discovery Programme (CDP) launched by the Cystic Fibrosis Antimicrobial Resistance (CF AMR) Syndicate with funding from the medical research charity, LifeArc.
The company will receive up to £500,000 of the fund to accelerate the development of its novel precision antibiotics, helping to address the growing need for effective treatments to overcome antimicrobial-resistant lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis (CF).
Over 150,000 people are estimated to be living with CF globally. The thick mucus that lines the lungs of people with CF can be difficult to clear, often resulting in infections due to pathogens, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (becoming embedded). This usually requires antibiotic treatment; however, the bacteria may become antibiotic-resistant over time, leading to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Glox Therapeutics’ proprietary protein bacteriocin engineering platform enables the development of potent therapeutics that selectively eradicate drug-resistant pathogenic bacteria. And these novel antibiotics do so without damaging the human microbiome, offering efficacious therapies to treat infections associated with CF.
The CDP is led by the CF AMR Syndicate, a cross-sector initiative driven by Medicines Discovery Catapult, LifeArc, and Cystic Fibrosis Trust. And the CF AMR Syndicate combines the expertise of leaders in CF and AMR from industry, academia, and the clinic with insights from people living with CF to accelerate CF antimicrobial drug discovery and development. This approach will enable Glox Therapeutics to benefit from expert support and resources to expedite the discovery and development of new and effective treatment options for people with CF lung infections.
KEY QUOTES:
“There is a critical need for new and effective therapeutics to tackle the rise of antimicrobial-resistant lung infections in people with CF. We are grateful to LifeArc for the CDP funding, recognising the potential of Glox Therapeutics’ unique platform to address this urgent unmet need. The collaborative support, disease insights and expert guidance of the CF AMR Syndicate will be incredibly valuable as we advance the development of our precision antibiotics to help improve the lives of patients.”
– Dr. James Clark, CEO and Co-founder, Glox Therapeutics
“Collaboration is essential to unlocking new avenues in drug discovery, especially in areas like CF where AMR poses such significant challenges. Funding research through the CF AMR Syndicate will play a crucial role in catalysing scientific progress, and we’re thrilled to support Glox Therapeutics in their work.”
– Dr. Catherine Kettleborough, Head of Chronic Respiratory Infection Translational Challenge, LifeArc
“We are delighted to be working with innovative companies like Glox Therapeutics to accelerate vital research and find new treatments for people with CF. By supporting awardees through the early development phases to generate essential data packages, the CF AMR Syndicate’s CDP will position these projects to attract onward funding and investment for further development.”
– Dr. Beverley Isherwood, Strategy Leader, Infectious Diseases, Medicines Discovery Catapult
“For people with CF, lung infections can cause major disruptions to day-to-day life and may lead to permanent lung damage. These infections are hard to treat due to AMR, which is why we’re delighted to see the CF AMR Syndicate support these projects that will develop urgently needed new antimicrobial treatments for CF.”
– Dr. Paula Sommer, Head of Research and Partnerships, Cystic Fibrosis Trust
