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Changing the nature of antibiotics, and how we prevent and treat infections, for the better.
founded in 2021, MetalloBio is an antimicrobials development company working on a completely novel paradigm in antibiotics design.
OUR MISSIONWho ARE
Metallobio?
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is no longer a distant threat, it is an urgent crisis happening right now.
Antibiotic-resistant superbugs already kill more than 1 million people every year, and that number is projected to rise to nearly 2 million annually by 2050, with over 39 million lives lost in the decades ahead if nothing changes.
Yet no fundamentally new class of broad-spectrum antibiotic has reached patients in almost 50 years.
MetalloBio is directly answering that need in line with the UK Government's 20-year vision to control and contain antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by 2040.
We are on a mission to fight the growing threat of superbugs with a brand-new class of infection-fighting treatments and coatings that work differently from anything on the market today.
Our compounds are named KLS, in honour of our late founder, Dr Kirsty Louise Smitten.
What are we building?
R&D Drug Candidates
Our KLS-1 Series is a pipeline of R&D drug candidates targeting difficult bacterial infections, including biofilm-protected infections.
Our lead candidate, KLS-116, uses a dual-action mechanism designed to kill bacteria in two ways at once, helping to address the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance.
We work with pharma and clinical partners to develop and commercialise treatments for target indications such as complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs).
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Coatings & Additives
Our KLS-2 Series provides antibacterial protection for medical devices and materials, helping to prevent biofilm infections before they take hold.
Our compounds can be applied as antibacterial coatings on medical equipment such as urinary catheters, or integrated directly into materials as antimicrobial additives.
We work with medical device and industrial partners to integrate our proprietary technology into their products.
What are we building?
R&D Drug Candidates
Our KLS-1 Series is a pipeline of R&D drug candidates targeting difficult bacterial infections, including biofilm-protected infections.
Our lead candidate, KLS-116, uses a dual-action mechanism designed to kill bacteria in two ways at once, helping to address the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance.
We work with pharma and clinical partners to develop and commercialise treatments for target indications such as complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs).
Coatings & Additives
Our KLS-2 Series provides antibacterial protection for medical devices and materials, helping to prevent biofilm infections before they take hold.
Our compounds can be applied as antibacterial coatings on medical equipment such as urinary catheters, or integrated directly into materials as antimicrobial additives.
We work with medical device and industrial partners to integrate our proprietary technology into their products.
WHAT ARE WE
BUILDING?
R&D Drug Candidates
Our KLS-1 Series is a pipeline of R&D drug candidates built to treat the most stubborn, complicated infections that standard medicines can no longer keep up with. This includes biofilm-protected infections that account for up to 80% of chronic bacterial disease.
Our lead candidate, KLS-116, doesn't rely on a single point of attack. It works with a ‘double-strike’ mechanism, hitting bacteria in two different ways at once. This dual action makes it harder for bacteria to develop resistance, tackling the exact problem that has made so many older antibiotics obsolete.
We collaborate with pharma and clinical partners on direct commercialisation and clinical trials for target indications, such as complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs).
Coatings & Additives
Medical devices such as catheters and joint implants provide the perfect surface for bacteria to colonise. This creates an entry point for biofilm infections.
Our KLS-2 Series is a group of compounds tuned specifically for use as antibacterial coatings on this kind of medical equipment, creating an antibacterial layer to prevent infections before they ever take hold.
For additives, we take the same protective chemistry and build it directly into materials. The result is antimicrobial protection engineered within the material itself, rather than layered on top.
We work with medical device & industrial partners to integrate our proprietary antimicrobial coatings onto equipment (such as urinary catheters) or to supply our compounds as an additive in masterbatch formulations.
WHAT ARE WE
BUILDING?
R&D Drug Candidates
Our KLS-1 Series is a pipeline of R&D drug candidates built to treat the most stubborn, complicated infections that standard medicines can no longer keep up with. This includes biofilm-protected infections that account for up to 80% of chronic bacterial disease.
Our lead candidate, KLS-116, doesn't rely on a single point of attack. It works with a ‘double-strike’ mechanism, hitting bacteria in two different ways at once. This dual action makes it harder for bacteria to develop resistance, tackling the exact problem that has made so many older antibiotics obsolete.
We collaborate with pharma and clinical partners on direct commercialisation and clinical trials for target indications, such as complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs).
Coatings & Additives
Medical devices such as catheters and joint implants provide the perfect surface for bacteria to colonise. This creates an entry point for biofilm infections.
Our KLS-2 Series is a group of compounds tuned specifically for use as antibacterial coatings on this kind of medical equipment, creating an antibacterial layer to prevent infections before they ever take hold.
For additives, we take the same protective chemistry and build it directly into materials. The result is antimicrobial protection engineered within the material itself, rather than layered on top.
We work with medical device & industrial partners to integrate our proprietary antimicrobial coatings onto equipment (such as urinary catheters) or to supply our compounds as an additive in masterbatch formulations.
WHAT ARE WE
BUILDING?
R&D Drug Candidates
Our KLS-1 Series is a pipeline of R&D drug candidates targeting difficult bacterial infections, including biofilm-protected infections.
Our lead candidate, KLS-116, uses a dual-action mechanism designed to kill bacteria in two ways at once, helping to address the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance.
We work with pharma and clinical partners to develop and commercialise treatments for target indications such as complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs).
Coatings & Additives
Our KLS-2 Series provides antibacterial protection for medical devices and materials, helping to prevent biofilm infections before they take hold.
Our compounds can be applied as antibacterial coatings on medical equipment such as urinary catheters, or integrated directly into materials as antimicrobial additives.
We work with medical device and industrial partners to integrate our proprietary technology into their products.
OUR MISSION
MetalloBio is driven to change the nature of antibiotics, and how we prevent and treat infections, for the better.
Making a difference
The modern medicine crisis
Between 1930 and 1962, 20 new types of antibiotics were launched.
In the 50 years since, only two. Because we’ve overused these life-saving drugs, germs like bacteria, viruses, and fungi (otherwise known as microbes) have evolved to resist them causing a process called antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
This means the infections we once easily cured are becoming untreatable as these germs are essentially adapting to survive our treatments, turning into what are often called superbugs.
Most big drug companies stopped looking for new antibiotics years ago due to commercial and clinical reasons.
Now, as our current medicines fail, finding new ways to kill these ‘superbugs’ isn't just a good idea, it’s an urgent necessity to save modern medicine.
Innovative development
Our technology uses a unique metal-based ‘chassis’ rather than traditional chemistry.
This can be adapted in multiple ways to easily custom-build different versions to target specific bacteria.
This approach means that our compounds are stable in extreme heat (up to 350°C) and harsh acidic or basic environments.
They have been shown to kill a wide range of bacteria, including every high-priority ‘superbug’ on the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) ‘ESKAPE’ list.
While lethal to germs, our technology shows very low toxicity to human cells.
Raising awareness
To many, ‘AMR’ might sound like medical jargon, but for the rest of us, it means something much simpler and more frightening: infections we can no longer treat.
Without working antibiotics, even routine surgeries or treating common diseases would become incredibly dangerous, if not impossible.
To tackle this, we are bringing everyone to the table, from drug companies and investors to government leaders and patients.
Our goal is to jump-start the search for the next generation of life-saving medicines.
'I would not be here without those antibiotics'
Olivia Giles was a successful Edinburgh lawyer when a routine afternoon at work became a race against death. Within hours, meningococcal septicaemia had swept through her body and within days she had both hands and both feet amputated. She survived because the right antibiotics reached her in time. Without them, there would have been no recovery, no second chance and no life to rebuild. For millions worldwide, this is already the reality.
READ olivia's STORY HERE.jpeg)
1.2
million
1 patient
dies every 15 minutes
1 death
every 3 seconds
Find us here
Stay connected with MetalloBio as we participate in key industry events and conferences around the globe. These events are crucial platforms for us to share our groundbreaking research, connect with potential partners, and engage with the global community on the urgent issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Explore the list of upcoming events where you can meet our team, learn about our latest innovations, and discover how we are leading the fight against untreatable infections.
See more events >>