The global antibiotics market
The global market for antibiotics and antifungals surpassed $25 billion in 2005 and is projected to reach $40 billion in the decade ending in 2015. While the overall market is expanding, advanced geographic regions such as Europe, Japan, and North America are likely to experience a slowdown. Antibiotic resistance is impacting physicians' attitudes, which is reducing consumption. Demand for antibacterials is rising because the increasing elderly population has contributed to the rise and severity of bacterial infections. It is disheartening to note that one-fifth of patients suffer from hospital-acquired infections, which cause approximately 90,000 deaths annually in the United States alone. The overall revenue decline does not necessarily imply a corresponding loss of volume. Several successful patents are expiring, and brand-name drugs will be replaced by generic products at a fraction of the cost. This will have a significant impact on the 14 products whose sales exceed one billion dollars.
Antibacterial products have penetrated a wide range of industries, including food preservation, water treatment, oil and gas, agriculture, and even consumer goods. This biocides market has experienced double-digit growth for years. The 2009 avian flu alerts propelled the industry past the $10 billion mark. This growth is not solely due to increased demand; there is also a shift toward more expensive bacterial control agents. The replacement of harsh chemicals, such as gas chlorination, with less harmful biocides is expected to contribute to this growth. The replacement of harsh chemicals, such as gas chlorination, with less harmful biocides is expected to contribute to an overall increase in sales. Powerful bacteria reduce the effectiveness of bactericides and antibiotics.
Consumer goods such as mouthwash, deodorants, soaps, cleaners, and even chopsticks and toys are mixed with bacterial control agents. One of the main chemicals used is triclosan. Many scientists fear that the overuse of these formulations could stimulate rapid bacterial mutations that will lead to increased resistance. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee (USA) was able to grow triclosan-resistant insects in their laboratory in just two days.
Innovation
Vinegar and baking soda are ready-to-use cleansers that eliminate bacteria. A simple 20- to 30-second wash with warm water, combined with a good scrub, keeps the family clean and safe. The main challenge isn't controlling a single bacterium that might cling to our skin, but rather controlling biofilm. Biofilms are dense colonies of bacterial cells that surround themselves with a thick protective layer. Once bacteria colonize their host, they are 10 to 1,000 times more resistant to antibiotics and bactericides. The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that more than 80% of all bacterial infections in humans have a significant biofilm component.
Peter Steinberg and Staffan Kjelleberg, both professors at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), noticed that a red alga (Delicea pulchra) was not being colonized by bacteria. The ocean is “a soup of bacteria.” If the seaweed had resumed killing the colonizers with the same fervor as if humans were applying chemicals, they would have killed themselves first. Peter and Staffan realized that the alga essentially scrambles communication between bacteria. Scientists call this quorum sensing inhibitor (IQS) chemistry. If bacteria cannot communicate with each other, then it is impossible to coordinate, let alone control or take control of the host. They then patented the defense mechanism, which had evolved over millions of years.
Working at UNSW, the team succeeded in producing synthetic analogs that demonstrated high efficacy. Even better, they proved that this "deafness" can be induced in a wide range of bacteria and can even inhibit fungal growth. The biggest advantage of their innovation is that tests confirmed the product is safe, with no risk of using the analog increasing bacterial resistance. Identifying this mechanism could revolutionize how bactericides are used in agriculture in general and food processing in particular, consumer products, industry, water treatment, and medical and therapeutic devices. A new era of antibacterials has begun. The killing spree can finally end.
The first cash flow
The inventors and UNSW established Biosignal in 1999, raised funds, and allocated 80% of its budget to research activities. Although the company attracted interest from the private sector, it faced the challenge of registering a new chemical compound, a costly undertaking. Even when the analog was based on a natural compound, the registration cost exceeded the capital raised. While the company struggled to move to the next phase, its patent portfolio positions this breakthrough for markets and applications with a limited registration process. This means that initial applications cannot have any direct contact with humans or food.
One promising area of application is cut flowers. Bacteria rapidly infest harvested flowers, affecting their beauty and freshness. Extending the shelf life of ornamental flowers using QSI would increase their competitiveness and price. The oil and gas industry has shown particular interest in controlling biofilm in its pipelines. Microbe-induced corrosion (MIC) was the primary cause of the environmental disaster in Alaska in 2006, when bacteria penetrated the metals. The use of traditional bactericides and regular scraping of the pipeline interiors failed to control biofilm attack. MIC could be controlled by the algae analog, and tests have confirmed this.
The opportunity
The applications are highly varied. One could imagine at least five separate companies pursuing different uses of the broad protection afforded by the patent. Although early tests indicated that IQS chemistry could control cystic fibrosis and tuberculosis, it would be at least a decade before this specific application could be commercially available. Controlling bacterial infections in medical devices is another long-term opportunity. This is particularly useful for catheters, especially urinary catheters, where an estimated 30% of patients suffer from catheter-related infections. This additional treatment costs $25,000 per patient, placing an excessive strain on tight government budgets. However, IQS could not only treat existing infections but, more importantly, prevent biofilm from colonizing the host in the first place. This is a lesson learned from the red algae: prevention is better than cure.
IQS could become an attractive alternative to silver, which is increasingly used in industry. Silver has been used for hundreds of years and has proven appealing to manufacturers because this precious metal is not subject to strict regulatory oversight and subsequent approval processes. The drawback is its high and rising cost. Furthermore, silver has not demonstrated significant improvements in clinical outcomes. Its widespread application, for example in ceramic toilet bowl linings, already accounts for 5 tons of silver per year for INAX, one of Japan's leading producers.
Perhaps the greatest interest could come from consumer applications, where manufacturers are increasingly aware of bacterial resistance and willing to pay a higher price. Perhaps the next deodorant, toothpaste, and mouthwash will be based on seaweed extracts. The red color would provide a distinctive brand image. Initial tests conducted by Unilever have confirmed its effectiveness in controlling body odor. The missing link is the registration of the innovative molecule. This presents an opportunity for investors, and it seems that companies like Unilever are among the first to put their money where their mouth is.
