Gates Foundation grant backs Precisio's engineered-protein fix for bacterial vaginosis
What's the deal? Delaware-based Precisio Biotix Therapeutics has secured a new grant from the Gates FoundationDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → to advance a treatment for bacterial vaginosis (BV), one of the most common vaginal conditions affecting women worldwide. The funding will push candidates through preclinical development toward clinical testing.
What's the problem? BV occurs when beneficial bacteria are displaced by harmful ones, particularly Gardnerella , which form protective biofilms. Untreated, it is linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes and higher susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections.
Why antibiotics fall short: Conventional antibiotics often fail to reach bacteria inside biofilms, face growing resistance, and damage the beneficial bacteria needed for a healthy environment. For many women, treatment becomes a cycle of antibiotics followed by recurrence.
What's the approach? Precisio engineers lysins — targeted proteins designed to destroy specific harmful bacteria — using its Zeus-LysiThru platform. They are optimised for potency, stability, and activity against biofilms.
What they're saying: "Unlike conventional antibiotics, they are designed to kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria and bacteria within biofilms while minimizing disruption of beneficial bacteria," said chief executive officer Mark Engel. The grant builds on earlier Gates Foundation-supported research that found lysins active against Gardnerella .
What's the endgame? Precisio is emphasising low manufacturing costs to make the therapy accessible globally, including in low- and middle-income countries. "We are not simply developing another antibiotic," said Mya Thandar, vice president of discovery. "We are developing a targeted antimicrobial designed around the biology of BV."
The signal: The grant reflects growing interest in precision antimicrobials as an alternative to broad-spectrum antibiotics, which face mounting resistance. It also signals philanthropic capital flowing into women's health — a historically underfunded area — with global access built into the development strategy.
Read more: AP News
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
