German Startup seeks Lab Space for expansion in bacteriophage-based antibiotics.

Summary

Profile Type: Technology request
POD Reference: TRDE20240524017
Term of Validity: 24 May 2024 - 24 May 2025
Company's Country: Germany
Type of partnership: Investment agreementCommercial agreement with technical assistanceResearch and development cooperation agreement
Targeted Countries: All countries

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General information

Short Summary: A growing German startup specializing in data services, biologics, and lab services for next-generation antibiotics urgently needs additional lab space to scale operations and advance research. This expansion is crucial for enhancing their innovative solutions and meeting rising demand.
Full Description: As antibiotic resistance escalates globally, the necessity for a new generation of targeted antibacterial solutions becomes crucial. The startup was established by a team of experts in molecular biology, bioinformatics, business management, and machine learning. This interdisciplinary team combines extensive experience and specialized skills to pioneer innovative solutions. They provide Data-as-a-Service (DaaS), biologics, and lab services aimed at developing next-generation antibiotics. Their expertise allows them to harness the latest advancements to deliver precise, phage-based components for developing targeted antibacterial treatments.

Their Approach:
Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect and kill bacteria but are harmless to human, animal, and plant cells. They offer a highly specific approach to bacterial infections, representing a significant shift from the broad-spectrum antibiotics used today, which often resemble a 'nuclear bomb' for the microbiome. Their technology focuses on identifying the exact matching phage for any given bacterial threat, which could be in plants, livestock, or humans, ensuring a targeted, laser-like precision in treatment, thus mitigating typical antibiotic side effects like diarrhea.

The Promise of Phage Technology:
The specificity of phages means that, with the right technological approach, a matching phage can be found for any bacterium. This 'laser sword' strategy not only minimizes harm to beneficial bacteria but also significantly reduces the emergence of resistance.

To achieve their goals, the startup is actively seeking laboratory space capable of supporting their specialized needs for dual purposes. First, to deliver client-specific services including microbial culturing and phage characterization. Secondly the additional lab space is crucial for their ongoing research efforts aimed at collecting and analyzing phage-host interaction data. This data collection is vital for continuously expanding their proprietary database, which underpins their machine learning driven platform.

The ideal lab space would support their advanced biotechnological research, offering facilities equipped with modern biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) capabilities, essential for safely handling and studying pathogenic agents. Additionally, access to high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics tools would be advantageous, enhancing their ability to process and analyse large datasets effectively.

Geographically, the startup is flexible with the lab's location; however, a placement within Europe is preferred to maintain close collaboration with their main operational base and European partners. A location well-connected to major research hubs would also be beneficial, fostering collaboration and access to a broader scientific community.

This expansion of lab facilities is crucial for the startup to scale their development efforts and accelerate the production of innovative antibiotic alternatives, directly contributing to global health improvements.
Advantages and Innovations: 1. Target Specificity: Unlike traditional antibiotics that act like a 'nuclear bomb'—indiscriminately killing both harmful and beneficial bacteria—phage-based antibiotics function like a 'laser sword.' They target specific bacteria without disturbing the rest of the microbial community, preserving the body's beneficial microbiota.
2. Reduced Resistance Development: The specificity of phages greatly reduces the chances of bacteria developing resistance, a significant issue with broad-spectrum antibiotics which encourage the emergence of multi-drug resistant strains.
3. Environmental Safety: Phages are natural biological entities that do not contribute to pollution or cause imbalance in local ecosystems, unlike some chemical antibiotics that can have detrimental environmental effects when they enter water systems.
4. Customizable Treatments: Phages can be engineered or selected to target newly emerging bacterial strains, offering a customizable approach that can quickly adapt to evolving bacterial threats.
5. Safety Profile: Phages have been used therapeutically for nearly a century in some parts of the world, showing an excellent safety profile. Their use does not lead to the common side effects associated with antibiotic therapies.
6. Cost-Effective Manufacturing: Once a phage is isolated, it can be cultured in large quantities using simple and cost-effective methods, making phage therapy potentially less expensive than synthesizing chemical antibiotics.
Stage of Development: Lab tested
Sustainable Development Goals: Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
IPR description: Basic Facilities Required (Need to Have):
Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) Laboratory: Essential for handling and studying pathogenic or potentially pathogenic bacteria and phages safely.
Standard Microbiological Equipment: Incubators, autoclaves, laminar flow hoods, and refrigeration units are crucial for day-to-day operations.
General Analytical Instruments: Including spectrophotometers, microscopes, and centrifuges necessary for routine analyses and research.
Phage Culturing Facilities: Specific infrastructure for isolating, culturing, and storing diverse bacteriophages.

Advanced Facilities Desired (Nice to Have):
High-Throughput Sequencing Equipment: Beneficial for genomics work and enhancing the depth of phage-host interaction studies.
Cell Culture Lab: For conducting infection models and testing phage efficacy against live bacterial cultures in controlled environments.

Ecosystem and Collaboration Opportunities:
Proximity to Biomedical Research Institutions: Being close to universities or research institutes that focus on microbiology, virology, or biotechnology would facilitate collaborations and access to additional expertise and resources.
Integration within a Biotech Hub: Located in or near a biotech hub that includes other startups, established biotech firms, and service providers, fostering a collaborative environment and potential partnerships.
Access to a Skilled Workforce: Presence in a region known for its skilled biological sciences workforce would be advantageous for recruiting talented personnel.

Future Cooperation Potential:
Ideal lab space would also offer opportunities for joint ventures with neighboring institutions and companies focused on biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, or agricultural innovations. The ability to easily engage with these entities could significantly enhance the potential for multidisciplinary projects and accelerate commercial application of our technologies.
The specified lab space will not only accommodate the startups current needs but should preferably also allow for scalability and flexibility to adapt to evolving research directions and market demands. The startup goal is to establish a long-term facility that supports both their immediate research and development needs and their strategic vision for future growth and collaboration.

Partner Sought

Expected Role of a Partner: Expected Role of Lab Space Provider:

The startup seeks a partner capable of providing a laboratory space that meets the detailed specifications previously outlined. The provider should ensure:
• Facility Maintenance and Compliance: Maintain facilities to the highest standards, ensuring that all equipment and spaces comply with regulatory requirements and are in optimal working condition.
• Flexible Terms: Offer flexible lease terms that accommodate the scaling nature of biotech startups, allowing for expansions or modifications as the startup grows and evolves.
• Supportive Services: Provide essential services such as waste management, security, and potentially shared administrative services that can help streamline operations.
• Reliable Infrastructure: Ensure consistent access to necessary utilities, including high-speed internet, electrical power, water, and gases, which are critical for uninterrupted research activities.

Role of Ecosystem Partners:
Being situated in a vibrant biotech hub, the startup hopes to engage with potential partners within the laboratory's ecosystem. These partnerships could include:
• Academic and Research Institutions: Collaborate on research projects, share knowledge, and access specialized equipment or technologies.
• Biotech and Pharma Companies: Engage in joint development projects or exploratory research that could lead to commercial opportunities or co-innovation in new therapeutic areas.
• Technical Service Providers: Utilize local technical services for specialized tasks such as advanced imaging, sequencing, or custom synthesis, which are essential for rapid prototyping and experimentation.

What the startup Offers:
• Innovative Collaboration: the startup brings cutting-edge research in bacteriophage technology and a willingness to explore new scientific avenues together with local partners.
• Shared Growth Opportunities: Potential for mutual benefits through shared research findings, grant applications, and expanded professional networks.
• Community Engagement: Active participation in the local scientific community through seminars, workshops, and open lab days, fostering an environment of learning and innovation.

Expectations from Ecosystem Partners:
• Engagement and Openness: the startup seeks partners who are proactive in engaging with startup entities and open to exploring unconventional scientific ideas.
• Resource Sharing: Willingness to share resources, whether it be equipment, expertise, or data, to mutually enhance each partner's research capabilities.
• The startup envisions these partnerships as a symbiotic relationship, where each entity not only contributes to but also significantly benefits from the other's successes and advancements.
Type and Size of Partner: Big companyR&D InstitutionSME 11-49SME 50 - 249SME <=10University
Type of partnership: Investment agreementCommercial agreement with technical assistanceResearch and development cooperation agreement

Call details

Coordinator required: Yes

Dissemination

Technology keywords: 06002002 - Cellular and Molecular Biology06001013 - Medical Technology / Biomedical Engineering06001015 - Pharmaceutical Products / Drugs06001018 - Virus, Virology/Antibiotics/Bacteriology
Market keywords: 04014 - Bioinformatics04006 - Cellular and Molecular Biology05009003 - Animal health05009004 - Plant health
Sector Groups Involved: Agri-FoodHealthDigitalEnergy-Intensive Industries
Targeted countries: All countries