- £500K grant to advance discovery and development of effective precision antibiotics targeting antimicrobial-resistant lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis
- Programme delivered by CF AMR Syndicate offers cross-sector collaboration and support to address urgent unmet need
Glasgow, UK, 21 January 2025: Glox Therapeutics, a company pioneering the development of precision antibiotic therapies based on naturally occurring bacteriocins, announces 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. Glox Therapeutics 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 162,000+ 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 typically requires antibiotic treatment; however, the bacteria may become resistant to antibiotics over time, leading to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Glox Therapeutics’ proprietary protein bacteriocin engineering platform allows for the development of potent therapeutics that selectively eradicate drug-resistant pathogenic bacteria. 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. 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 collaborative approach will allow 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.
Dr James Clark, CEO and Co-founder, Glox Therapeutics, said: “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 Catherine Kettleborough, Head of Chronic Respiratory Infection Translational Challenge, LifeArc, said: "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 Beverley Isherwood, Strategy Leader, Infectious Diseases, Medicines Discovery Catapult, said: “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 Paula Sommer, Head of Research and Partnerships, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, said: “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.”
For further information about Glox Therapeutics’ precision antibiotics, please visit: https://gloxtherapeutics.com/platform/
For details of the CF AMR Syndicate’s CDP, please visit: https://cfamr.org.uk/collaborative-discovery-programme/
*Worldwide rates of diagnosis and effective treatment for cystic fibrosis (J Cyst Fibros, 2022)
