Glox Therapeutics, a groundbreaking company in the field of precision antibiotic therapies utilizing naturally occurring bacteriocins, has successfully raised £4.3 million in seed funding. The investment round, led by Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and Scottish Enterprise, aims to support the development of effective targeted therapeutics against antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.
Glox Therapeutics plans to utilize the funding to establish laboratories in Oxford and Glasgow, as well as expand its team to accelerate its bacteriocin development program.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant global public health crisis, causing approximately 1.27 million deaths annually due to the therapeutic failure of available antibiotics. By 2050, the predicted death toll due to AMR is expected to exceed 10 million globally per year, with an estimated cost of $100 trillion. Given this urgent need for new and effective antimicrobial therapeutics, Glox Therapeutics is at the forefront, pioneering precision antibiotics by leveraging engineered protein bacteriocins.
Glox’s novel antimicrobials, powered by AI-driven robotics, exhibit remarkable potency and specificity. The technology aims to selectively target Gram-negative pathogens that have developed AMR, including challenging strains like Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Unlike traditional antibiotics, bacteriocins provide a more precise and targeted approach, preserving the patient’s microbiomes and minimizing side effects.
Founded in 2023 by Prof Daniel Walker from the University of Glasgow (now at the University of Strathclyde) and Prof Colin Kleanthous from the University of Oxford, Glox Therapeutics is set to transform antibiotic therapy by overcoming resistance issues. Dr James Clark, appointed as CEO in April 2023, expressed the company’s mission to deliver highly potent, targeted antimicrobial therapies to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
The seed funding marks a crucial milestone for Glox Therapeutics, enabling the establishment of laboratories, attracting top-tier talent, and advancing its bacteriocin development program. The first target for development is P. aeruginosa, a significant step toward addressing urgent unmet medical needs in tackling treatment-resistant bacterial infections.
Dr Niklas Czeloth, Executive Director/Investment Manager at Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, emphasized the importance of innovative approaches in a world grappling with the escalating threat of AMR. The investment from Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund reflects confidence in Glox Therapeutics’ potential to make a profound impact in the battle against antibiotic-resistant infections.
Glox Therapeutics’ pioneering work aligns with the global consensus on the need for the next generation of antibiotics to be narrow-spectrum therapeutics, targeting specific pathogenic AMR bacteria without collateral damage to the human microbiome. The company’s high-potency therapies offer a promising solution to address urgent unmet medical needs in treating resistant bacterial infections.
Kerry Sharp, Director of Entrepreneurship and Investment at Scottish Enterprise, commended Glox Therapeutics as a fantastic example of an ambitious spin-out commercializing world-class life sciences research. The success of Scottish early-stage companies, attracting international investment, contributes positively to Scotland’s economy as they scale up and address critical health challenges.
