Hydrogels tackle antimicrobial resistance

The new antibacterial gel targets hard-to-treat, resistant bacteria

Spotted: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a growing concern among medical professionals, contributing directly to 1.27 million global deaths in 2019 and indirectly to 3.6 million additional deaths that year.

One way to fight AMR is to create new antibacterial drugs, which is what Amferia is working on. Drawing inspiration from the body’s natural immune system, the startup uses antimicrobial peptides, which have a positive electrostatic charge, to attract the negatively charged bacteria. These then puncture the bacterial membranes and destroy the cells.

In natural biological conditions, the peptides are quite fragile and easily destroyed by enzymes in the human body. Amferia has gotten around this problem by encasing the peptides in a soft hydrogel. This protects the peptides from natural enzymes, allowing their bacteria-killing structures to remain active. The company claims that its technology will rapidly bind with and kill up to 99.99 per cent of bacteria on contact, including many strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria like MRSA. 

Amferia’s CEO, Anand Kumar Rajasekharan, told Springwise that the bio-inspired gel offers “potent local action at the site of a bacterial presence, with no leaching into the body or environment.” Amferia has developed its platform into a wound dressing for animal care – its first in-market product. Ultimately, the company plans to develop products to treat human patients at risk of acquiring AMR infections. 

Amferia has recently completed a €1.2 million oversubscribed funding round and has signed agreements with leading animal health companies in Europe to commercialise its new wound dressing. The funding will support further clinical development of the hydrogel for human use.

Written By: Lisa Magloff