There is an unmet medical need for new anti-infective products considering the dramatic increase in resistance towards classical antibiotics by certain microorganisms. More than 50% of Staphylococcus aureus isolates found in Sweden are resistant to fusidic acid and internationally the situation is even worse. DermaGen’s technology platform offers exciting opportunities for new innovative products and potential alternatives to extend patent life of existing antimicrobial products.
Number of reported cases of MRSA per year, Sweden 2000-2007.(SWEDRES 2007, STRAMA Report, see http://en.strama.se/dyn/,84,,.html )
Skin and other epithelial surfaces express a multitude of AMPs, each having a specific and subtly different action against bacteria and fungi. Normally, these AMPs keep the skin and epithelial surfaces healthy. The unique approach of DermaGen is to take advantage of the body’s highly effective endogenous defense system. By selecting and developing AMPs that already occur in man, it is possible to fine-tune their sensitivities to proteases and microbial resistance mechanisms. In contrast to classical antibiotics, such AMPs are unlikely to induce any resistance because they lack a specific molecular target on bacteria or other microbes.