Submitted by C. Groocock on Mon, 18/03/2024 - 13:53
BioTryp Therapeutics
BioTryp Therapeutics is a spin-off company from the Department of Genetics, developing novel oral antibiofilm therapies for bacterial infections, with an initial focus on urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Bacterial biofilms are communities surrounded by an extracellular matrix, providing structural protection against antibiotics and the host immune system. Biofilms are associated with treatment failure and recurrent infections, such as commonly seen in UTIs.
There is currently no antibiofilm oral therapy in clinical use. Current therapies rely exclusively on antibiotics which have poor activity against biofilms (cannot penetrate). BioTryp aims to develop the 1st antibiofilm therapy for bacterial infections, starting with UTIs.
The BioTryp Science started 8+ years ago by Dr David Summers and Dr Ashraf Zarkan. Ash and David raised over £1M in research grants (Innovate UK, MRC, Wellcome Trust, Isaac Newton Trust, Rosetrees Trust & National Biofilms Innovation Centre) to move the project from an initial idea to its current hit-to-lead stage.
On the commercial side, BioTryp has gained tractions over the past few years:
- Completed Innovation to Commercialisation of University Research (ICURe) programme (ICURe Explore & Exploit).
- Completed the Innovate UK Microbials Accelerator programme.
- Partnered with Spin Up Science Venture Builder.
- Completed EnterpriseTECH programme.
- Won the Hellings Prize at the Trinity Bradfield 2024 Awards.
- Accepted among the first 11 companies participating in Founders at the University of Cambridge Start Accelerator programme.
We (BioTryp) are proud to continue being hosted at the Department of Genetics. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone in the Department for the amazing and continuous support.
Watch this space!