BioTryp Therapeutics, an award-winning drug discovery spin-out from the University of Cambridge, has raised £300k in pre-seed funding to advance the development of its novel anti-biofilm compounds.
Following BioTryp’s participation in the inaugural Founders at the University of Cambridge Accelerator, the funding round comprised investment from QUBIS Innovation Fund, as well as Cambridge Enterprise Ventures and Parkwalk Advisors.
BioTryp Therapeutics, launched early in 2024, is founded on more than eight years of research at the University of Cambridge. Its technology aims to tackle the global problem of biofilm-associated infections. 60-80% of bacterial infections manifest as biofilms, whose complex structure protects the constituent bacteria from both antibiotics and the host immune system, making infections difficult to treat.
Biofilms often act as a reservoir of pathogenic bacteria and hence are drivers of recurrent infections. This is a particular challenge in the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs), which affect 400 million people annually across the globe, with a high rate of recurrence. Additionally, UTI biofilms may lead to bacteraemia when bacteria enter the bloodstream, with around 20-30% of cases proving fatal. BioTryp’s compounds are designed as an add-on to traditional antibiotics, to accelerate infection clearance and prevent recurrence by inhibiting the formation of these recalcitrant biofilms. BioTryp scientists have already demonstrated proof-of-concept in the inhibition of E. coli biofilms, a pathogen responsible for up to 80% of UTIs.
This funding marks an important milestone for the company and will be used to progress BioTryp’s medicinal chemistry programme. It will facilitate essential chemistry and testing to identify the most promising compounds to be taken further into pre-clinical development. On the commercial side, the funding will allow engagement with pharma, regulators and development bodies to ensure successful progress throughout pre-clinical and clinical trials.