Products based on antimicrobial peptides

Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) constitute an important part of the body's defense against various types of infectious microorganisms. AMPs often have a direct killing effect on, for example, bacteria by destroying their cell membranes but they can also have an indirect effect by activating a variety of immunoregulatory mechanisms.

We have broad knowledge and expertise in most matters concerning antimicrobial peptides and can therefore be your partner in one of the following areas:

• Isolation and identification of natural bioactive peptides
• Small-scale manufacturing of peptides, both solid phase synthesis and recombinant production
• Manufacture of custom monomers and incorporation into oligomers and other derivatives for conjugation to another molecule
• Chemical analysis of peptides in non-biological and biological matrices
• Functionalization of surfaces with peptides and characterization of these surfaces
• Evaluation of microbiological effect in vitro incl. antimicrobial effect, effect on biofilms and growth on surfaces
• Studies of anti-inflammatory or wound-healing effect in cell-based assays
• Evaluation of effect ex/in vivo incl. skin infection and wound infection models.
• Quantitative microscopy and image analysis using electron, confocal and light microscopy (including analysis with X-ray and neutron techniques) as well as staining and imaging of biofilms in 2D/3D
• Crystallization and formulation development
• Stability studies
• Biocompatibility and toxicological investigations (medical devices).
• Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics studies (PK / PD)
• Toxicological tests
• The use of AI-based methods in reaction prediction, assessment of stability, toxicity and safety, etc
• Regulatory risk assessments and documentation prior to clinical trials

We have many years of experience of working with antimicrobial peptides in both assignments together with industry partners and in large and small research projects. Examples of two publicly funded projects we have coordinated are FORMAMP (EU / FP7) with a focus on innovative formulations of peptides, and RIK (Vinnova) with a focus on e.g. effect of peptides on complications around dental implants.

Our employees have also published several articles in the area, some examples follow here:

• Mahlapuu, M., Björn, C., and Ekblom, J. (2020) Antimicrobial peptides as therapeutic agents: opportunities and challenges. Crit. Rev. Biotechnol. 40, 978-992
• Håkansson, J., Ringstad, L., Umerska, A., Johansson, J., Andersson, T., Boge, L., Rozenbaum, R. T., Sharma, P. K., Tollback, P., Björn, C., Saulnier, P., and Mahlapuu, M. (2019) Characterization of the in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo Efficacy of the Antimicrobial Peptide DPK-060 Used for Topical Treatment. Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology 9, 1742.   
• Boge, L., Hallstensson, K., Ringstad, L., Johansson, J., Andersson, T., Davoudi, M., Larsson, P. T., Mahlapuu, M., Håkansson, J., and Andersson, M. (2019) Cubosomes for topical delivery of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37. Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm. 134, 60-67
• Rozenbaum, R. T., Su, L., Umerska, A., Eveillard, M., Håkansson, J., Mahlapuu, M., Huang, F., Liu, J., Zhang, Z., Shi, L., van der Mei, H. C., Busscher, H. J., and Sharma, P. K. (2018) Antimicrobial synergy of monolaurin lipid nanocapsules with adsorbed antimicrobial peptides against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms in vitro is absent in vivo. J. Control. Release 293, 73-83
• Björn, C., Mahlapuu, M., Mattsby-Baltzer, I., and Håkansson, J. (2016) Anti-infective efficacy of the lactoferrin-derived antimicrobial peptide HLR1r. Peptides 81, 21-28  
• Mahlapuu, M., Håkansson, J., Ringstad, L., and Björn, C. (2016) Antimicrobial Peptides: An Emerging Category of Therapeutic Agents. Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology 6, 194  
• Björn, C., Noppa, L., Näslund Salomonsson, E., Johansson, A. L., Nilsson, E., Mahlapuu, M., and Håkansson, J. (2015) Efficacy and safety profile of the novel antimicrobial peptide PXL150 in a mouse model of infected burn wounds. Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents 45, 519-524   
• Håkansson, J., Björn, C., Lindgren, K., Sjöstrom, E., Sjöstrand, V., and Mahlapuu, M. (2014) Efficacy of the novel topical antimicrobial agent PXL150 in a mouse model of surgical site infections. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 58, 2982-2984 
• Myhrman, E., Håkansson, J., Lindgren, K., Björn, C., Sjöstrand, V., and Mahlapuu, M. (2013) The novel antimicrobial peptide PXL150 in the local treatment of skin and soft tissue infections. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 97, 3085-3096