Phico Therapeutics is pioneering a novel antibacterial platform known as SASPject™, which utilizes small acid-soluble spore proteins (SASPs) to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This technology operates by delivering a gene encoding SASP directly into targeted bacterial cells using engineered bacteriophages. Once inside, the bacteria produce SASPs that bind to and inactivate their own DNA, effectively preventing them from metabolizing or reproducing. This unique mechanism not only targets specific bacterial species but also minimizes the impact on beneficial bacteria, thereby reducing potential side effects associated with traditional antibiotics. The SASPject™ platform is designed to address the urgent global health threat posed by multi-drug resistant bacteria, as highlighted by various health organizations.

The SASPject™ technology offers several advantages over conventional antibiotics, primarily its ability to prevent the development of resistance in targeted bacteria. By binding to all bacterial DNA regardless of its sequence, SASPs can effectively neutralize bacteria that have developed resistance through spontaneous mutations or the acquisition of new genetic material. This specificity allows for the targeting of individual or multiple bacterial species without affecting non-target bacteria, which is crucial in managing infections caused by notorious pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli. Phico Therapeutics is actively advancing this technology through clinical trials, aiming to provide effective treatments for infections that currently pose significant challenges to healthcare systems worldwide.

United Kingdom

At Phico, we are developing a unique antibiotic technology to address one the most urgent challenges facing medicine today – how to destroy multi-drug resistant bacteria, the so-called “superbugs”.

Phico Therapeutics

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