Symcel, Stokholm, Sweden, has partnered with Colzyx, Lund, Sweden, to test 25 new collagen VI-derived antimicrobial peptides, analyzing their capability to halt bacterial growth. These newly discovered, first-in-kind peptides each have the capability to kill bacteria in different ways.
Testing of the collagen VI-derived peptides will be performed using Symcel’s CalScreener, which will provide a calorimetric measurement of the heat generated by metabolism, offering rapid generation of information that can’t be acquired through other experimental methods. The Symcel technology will be used flexibly to test each peptide independently or in combination with others.
“Our peptides have the potential to provide a new and unique form of antibiotics for treating infections in the future,” says Eskil Söderlind, CEO at Colzyx. “Our highly natural solution—utilizing the body’s own built-in defense mechanism and developing that into a form of a pharmaceutical drug for targeting microbial infection—has great healthcare potential.”
The CalScreener cell-based assay tool for real-time cellular bioenergetic measurements provides continuous kinetic data about bacterial growth and inhibition.
“We are very pleased to be working with Colzyx and very much look forward to putting our technology to use in measuring and evaluating the impact that their peptides have in killing bacterial growth,” says Christer Wallin, CEO of Symcel. “CalScreener was selected because of its ability to deliver unique data in real-time for these truly groundbreaking tests, the results of which will be of high scientific and healthcare interest.”
“We are delighted to have partnered with Symcel in what is an industry first in research and development on multiple counts,” says Söderlind. “Their innovative CalScreener technology is set to further test and validate the effectiveness of our novel collagen VI peptides, which, for the first time in research history, are being put to use to combat microbial infection by destroying bacteria.”
That’s interesting that peptides have the potential to provide new forms of antibiotics for treating infections. Getting sick is something that happens a lot to me, and I would like to find a way to improve my healthcare. Perhaps I’ll go ahead and buy research peptides.