Key Takeaways:
- Micreos is a Netherlands-based biotech company at the forefront of developing phage technology for targeted bacterial control.
- With the rise of antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’, Micreos’ technology could present a viable solution by targeting only harmful bacteria and sparing beneficial ones in the microbiome.
- The company’s flagship product is ‘Gladskin’, which contains an endolysin that targets and kills only Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium linked to several skin conditions.
- Micreos has also developed FDA-approved food safety products, ‘Phageguard S’ and ‘Phageguard L’ to combat Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, respectively.
As antibiotic resistance continues to rise globally, healthcare is facing a critical challenge: how to fight harmful bacteria without facilitating the emergence of ‘superbugs’. Micreos, a biotechnology company based in the Netherlands, might have the answer in their novel phage technology. Instead of employing traditional antibiotics that indiscriminately wipe out bacteria, good and bad alike, Micreos’ technology targets and destroys only the harmful strains. This surgical approach protects the microbiome, the beneficial bacteria that our bodies need for optimal health.
Founded by Hans-Poul Veldhuyzen van Zanten and Mark Offerhaus, Micreos is addressing the World Health Organization’s concern about the end of modern medicine by returning to a primal, yet highly evolved, bacterial warfare: phages. These tiny bacterial viruses, or endolysins, are highly specific, only killing their host bacteria and leaving the rest of the microbiome intact. Furthermore, studies suggest that endolysins do not induce resistance, unlike traditional antibiotics.
What sets Micreos apart is its commitment to targeted bacterial control, achieving what no antibiotic has done before: selectively eliminating harmful bacteria while leaving the beneficial ones unscathed. There’s nothing broad-spectrum about their approach, and that’s the point. The flagship product – ‘Gladskin’ which contains the proprietary endolysin Staphefekt SA.100, specifically targets Staphylococcus aureus, the pathogenic bacteria responsible for several common skin conditions such as eczema and acne.
On the food safety front, the company has successfully developed two FDA-approved products, ‘Phageguard S’ and ‘Phageguard L’ aimed at controlling Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, respectively. These life-threatening food pathogens are a major concern in the global food industry, demonstrating the broad potential of phage technology beyond human healthcare.
Considering the global concern against antibiotic resistance, startups like Micreos are incredibly significant. Its current efforts in phage technology not only promise to keep our microbiome intact but also to revolutionise how we approach bacterial control. Micreos is poised for a promising future with technology that can potentially change the course of global healthcare and food safety measures.
As for the biotechnology and healthcare industry, it appears that we are on the precipice of a paradigm shift – from broad-spectrum antibiotics to targeted bacterial control – and Micreos is leading the charge. Stay connected with Micreos on their website, Twitter, LinkedIn for updates. The future of antibiotics may very well belong to phages.
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