Glox Therapeutics

Glox Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing precision antibiotics using engineered protein bacteriocins to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Founded in February 2023 as a spin-out from the Universities of Glasgow and Oxford, the company leverages over two decades of research into bacteriocin structure and function. The founders are Professor Daniel Walker, Professor Colin Kleanthous, and Dr. James Clark, who also serves as CEO. The company's platform was built upon scientific advances from the laboratories of Professors Walker and Kleanthous.

The company's business model is centered on its proprietary discovery platform, which engineers bacteriocins—naturally occurring proteins produced by bacteria—to specifically target and eliminate drug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens. This precision approach aims to preserve the patient's microbiome, offering a more balanced treatment with fewer side effects compared to conventional broad-spectrum antibiotics. The initial focus is on pathogens from the WHO's critical list, including *Pseudomonas aeruginosa*, *Klebsiella pneumoniae*, and *Escherichia coli*, which cause severe infections like hospital- and ventilator-associated pneumonia, sepsis, and bloodstream infections. A key target indication is treating lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis.

Glox Therapeutics is venture-backed, having secured £4.3 million in a seed funding round in November 2023, led by Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and Scottish Enterprise. The company has also received significant grant funding, including £1 million from PACE (Pathways to Antimicrobial Clinical Efficacy) in November 2024 and up to £500,000 in January 2025 from a LifeArc-funded program via the CF AMR Syndicate. This capital is being used to establish laboratories in Glasgow and Oxford, expand the team, and accelerate its therapeutic development programs.

Keywords: bacteriocin therapeutics, antimicrobial resistance, Gram-negative pathogens, precision antibiotics, drug discovery, protein engineering, microbiome preservation, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, ventilator-associated pneumonia, cystic fibrosis infections, narrow-spectrum antibiotics, drug-resistant bacteria, biotechnology, life sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim, Scottish Enterprise, University of Glasgow spin-out, University of Oxford spin-out, AMR therapies