Antibiotic Nanomaterial for Commercialisation

The accelerating rise in antibiotic resistance is driving demand for new and more effective therapies to treat and prevent the spread of bacterial disease. Despite efforts to screen for new antibiotics, microorganisms continue to develop resistance at an increasingly rapid rate to all the therapies available to date. Identification and implementation of alternative modes of killing microbial cells is therefore a priority. Recent advances in the field of nanotechnology have enabled scientists to customise the properties of nanomaterials so that they can be employed as effective antimicrobial agents.

The University of Oxford’s invention employs functionalised nanomaterials to enhance the antibiotic activity of an otherwise unstable agent against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria, antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains (for example, MRSA), as well as fungi, and indeed all classes of microorganisms tested in the Oxford laboratory to date.

This novel material represents a platform approach that can be applied as a liquid, gel, cream or surface coating, and can also be embedded in polymer matrices for the effective use as a biocide for highly touchable surfaces such as a coating for hospital surfaces) among many other antimicrobial applications. Its advantages include:
* Enhanced activity and reactivity of the compound compared to competitive products.
* Stability
* Comparatively low cost of production.

The Oxford invention is the subject of a patent application in the UK. Isis Innovation, the technology transfer division of the University, would like to talk to companies interested in developing its commercial opportunities.

For more information on Project Number 3948 Antibiotic Nanomaterial contact Isis Innovation Ltd, tel. +44 1865 280830, e-mail: innovation@isis.ox.ac.uk

Tags: Antibiotic Nanomaterial, Isis Innovation, University of Oxford