Over the past decade, Micreos has been a pioneer in the field of targeted antibacterial technology set to replace antibiotics. Based on its long-term collaboration with the Swiss Federal Technology Institute, ETH in Zurich, Micreos has developed first-in-class proprietary products and technology that are viewed as a real game-changer. Amongst these are their products which are currently on the market under the brandname Gladskin. Micreos' Gladskin products contain the endolysin Staphefekt SA.100. This endolysin selectively kills the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria - including the resistant MRSA. S. aureus is now known to cause or aggravate many skin conditions including eczema, acne and rosacea.
Micreos runs its Endolysin Technology & Production Centre in Bilthoven and its Phage Technology & Production Centre in Wageningen. Here the company's research, development and quality control are conducted.
Micreos' proprietary technology is based partly on principles and mechanisms derived from nature, and used by the natural enemy of bacteria, phages. Phages kill roughly half of all bacteria on the planet every two days when they use bacteria as a host to reproduce. Phages and bacteria "co-evolved" over millions of years, and as different bacterial species evolved over time, so did their respective phages. In order for new phages to be 'released' from their bacterial host cells, certain enzymes, so called 'endolysins', are assembled, which effectively open the bacterial cell wall from the inside, killing the bacterial cell in the process. As this step is essential for the reproduction cycle of phages, over time it has been perfected by targeting the essential parts of the bacterial cell wall - which do not mutate. This is why scientists do not expect emergence of resistance against endolysins.
-
Phages and phage-enzymes are harmless to humans, animals and plants. They are present in high numbers on our skin, in our gut and in our environment and help preserve our bacterial balance
-
Endolysins and phages can be used for targeted (selective) control of only the unwanted bacteria
-
Development of resistance against endolysins has not been seen nor is it expected
-
Phages are the most abundant micro organisms on earth and are naturally present in our water and many of our foods.
-
endolysins are bacteria-specific, but in addition they are very specific within bacterial species / genus boundaries. Thus they can be used for targeted control of undesired bacteria and will not affect commensals on the skin, or in our gastrointestinal tract nor 'good' bacteria in foods (e.g. starter cultures) and the environment.
-
Phages are the natural enemy of bacteria, and therefore are logical agents for the control of bacterial pathogens, such as S. aureus (including MRSA), Pseudomonas, Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, etc.
-
On fresh and processed food products, often more than 100 million viable phages per gram are present.
-
Every day we consume high numbers of phages routinely with our food, without any impact on human health or taste and enjoyment of the product.
-
A bacteriophage (from 'bacteria' and Greek phagein, 'to eat') infects and kills only bacteria (phages do not recognise plant- or animal cells).
-
The term bacteriophage is commonly used in its shortened form, “phage”.
-
Typically, phages consist of an outer protein hull enclosing genetic material. The genetic material is usually double-stranded DNA between 5 and 500 Kb pairs long.
-
Phages are usually between 20 and 200 nm in size. A phage is approximately 100 times smaller than a typical bacterium.
-
Phages are generally composed entirely of proteins and nucleic acids, their eventual breakdown products consist exclusively of amino acids and nucleic acids. Thus, they do not leave an ecological footprint.