Polaroid Therapeutics and SFM Limited: Partnership to advance antimicrobial resistance management

Polaroid Therapeutics (PTx), the Swiss-based biotech start up, has announced its development partnership with fibre development expert,  SFM Limited (SFM). Under the agreement, SFM and PTx will work together on  advanced antibacterial gelling fibre while addressing one of the largest global  health concerns, as outlined by The World Health Organisation, antimicrobial resistance.

Under the partnership, SFM Limited will work with PTx to develop a novel carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) dressing that leverages PTx’s proprietary materials.  SFM will perform a series of trials to evaluate the feasibility of integrating PTx’s  Antimicrobial polymer technology (APT) into the novel CMC fibres. The ultimate goal of the trials will be to create an innovative wound dressing that prevents infection and aids healing.

Ran Frenkel, CEO and co-founder of Polaroid Therapeutics, said, ‘At Polaroid  Therapeutics, we believe AMR demands our urgent and focused attention.  Partnering with an agile and innovative company like SFM allows us to tackle this global health crisis head-on. Our combined expertise aims to transform wound care by integrating our disruptive antimicrobial technology with SFM’s advanced fibres. This isn’t just about treating wounds; it’s about preventing infections,  improving healing, and saving lives’.

This strategic partnership will leverage Polaroid Therapeutics’ proprietary polymeric antimicrobial technology, based on quaternized polyethyleneimine (QPEI). This novel polymer will be combined with SFM’s CMC fibre technology to create a groundbreaking wound-healing system that actively reduces infection risks and promotes overall health improvement. Addressing cavity wounds requires a comprehensive approach that includes effective exudate management, infection control, moisture balance, dead space-filling, pain management, and patient compliance. Together with SFM, we are developing advanced dressings and techniques that significantly improve outcomes for patients with cavity wounds.

Amanda Ling, Managing Director of SFM, said ‘We are thrilled to partner with the Polaroid Therapeutics team. Integrating PTx’s novel antibacterial technology with our existing gelling fibre platform, is about developing to disrupt the status quo in advanced wound care and meet the needs of patients with complex wounds. It’s all about making a difference to patient’s lives at the end, and on this PTx and SFM have a symbiotic alignment.’

Chronic wounds and AMR have been singled out by the WHO as an area of major concern. Globally, the World Bank estimates that AMR could result in $1 trillion in additional healthcare costs by 2050, and $1–$3.4 trillion in gross domestic product  (GDP) will be lost per year by 2030¹. Meanwhile, Public Health England estimates that AMR could result in 10 million deaths globally each year by 2050, and £66  trillion in lost productivity to the global economy². The impact of the condition has been far too long overlooked; by treating wound care as a comorbidity rather than a treatable condition, patients are left to suffer.

The development activities between PTx and SFM commenced earlier in June 2024.