The Foundation of the Company is build on its Proprietary Technology Platform 

This Antibiotic-Assisted Translocation technology platform allows for the safe and efficient cellular delivery of antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) into Gram-negative bacteria and allows ASO therapeutics to emerge as an established, validated and new class of non-conventional RNA-targeted precision medicines that can modulate a multitude of genetic targets within Gram-negative bacteria. An International PCT Composition of Matter patent application has been filed.

The technology (Figure 1) involves the bacterial antisense sequence being conjugated (i.e chemically bonded) through a SPACER and a LINKER to a CARRIER LIGAND providing an agent with selective uptake across the bacterial membranes into the cytoplasm of Gram-negative bacteria. The CARRIER LIGAND, which is a sugar, is recognised by a receptor on the surface of the outer membrane. This receptor is highly selective for the endogenous carbohydrate, which is essential for bacterial cell membrane synthesis and survival. Up to 50% of the carbohydrate is sourced externally by the bacteria. Internal cleavage of the targeting ligand from the linker-ASO is via a bacterial specific enzyme. To date, no mutations in the selective receptor has been evidenced in the literature. Depending upon the design of the LINKER and SPACER, the parent antisense may be subsequently cleaved and released from the CARRIER LIGAND and LINKER / SPACER through bacterial enzymatic process(s) catalysed by a selective ligase and/or amidase. Alternatively, the full construct may remain intact and elicit a similar or equivalent antisense activity (e.g. see Bai, H. et al 2018) wherein a CPP-ASO retained full potency with respect to the parent ASO).