Biofusion launches new business focussed on MRSA treatments
Biofusion, the university IP commercialisation company, is launching a new portfolio company, Absynth Biologics, that will develop vaccines and antibodies to treat infections caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus) including its more difficult-to-treat drug-resistant form, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA).
Biofusion, the university IP commercialisation company, is launching a new portfolio company, Absynth Biologics, that will develop vaccines and antibodies to treat infections caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus) including its more difficult-to-treat drug-resistant form, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA).
Biofusion has agreed to invest up to £325,000 in the company to enable it to produce lead vaccine and therapeutic antibody candidates to begin the clinical trial process.
Absynth's patented technology has been developed at the University of Sheffield and will be used to develop an MSRA vaccine and antibodies to treat significant MRSA related infections as well as other applications.
David Baynes, CEO of Biofusion, said: "The rise of the so-called super bugs is a significant challenge for healthcare systems in the UK and internationally. We believe the Absynth approach offers a potentially effective alternative to the use of conventional antibiotics which are no longer able to successfully treat all hospital acquired infections and as such addresses a very large market and medical need."
In accordance with all its new spin-out companies, Biofusion owns 100% of the university's share in Absynth, resulting in a 60% shareholding on incorporation.
The launch of Absynth brings the total number of companies in the Biofusion portfolio to 22, 15 based on research from the University of Sheffield and seven based on research from Cardiff University.