Singapore start-up uses peptides to fight pet infections

Almost 73% of antibiotics are used in farm animals. The unnecessary use of antibiotics to prevent microbial spoilage also contributes to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), so the world needs to look for alternatives, she explained.

“At Healbac, we understand the problem, and we are trying to solve it using nature’s own selection process. Otherwise, we will be seeing a limb lost to diabetes every 20 seconds in the next 20 years because infections are not getting healed,” she added.

Avinanda was working with a team of scientists at A*STAR when they first discovered antimicrobial peptides, which are short chains of amino acids modelled on natural defence molecules produced by plants, animals, insects, amphibians and microorganisms.

They help address AMR in several ways: by attaching themselves to bacterial cell membranes and causing them to burst; attacking multiple structural components simultaneously, making it harder for pathogens to evolve ways to escape them; and shutting down microscopic pumps that drug-resistant strains of bacteria use to actively reject conventional antibiotics.

“We co-cultured human cells with pathogenic bacteria in the laboratory and, as a response, these human cells released defence molecules to protect themselves. We isolated those molecules and identified the antimicrobial peptides… With further chemical modifications, we obtained peptides that were active against bacteria,” Avinanda said.

Healbac was set up to translate stem-cell and peptide research into commercial alternatives to conventional antibiotics and synthetic food preservatives, with the aim of tackling AMR and reducing reliance on potentially harmful food additives.

“Whatever we are seeing is just the tip of the iceberg. If we do not come up with a solution, in 30 years, millions of lives, healthcare systems and food security will be affected,” she said.

Testing the waters with vet wound care first

However, Healbac is now validating potential applications of its antimicrobial peptides in wound and skincare, focusing on the gap before vets prescribe antibiotics to treat infections.

“When an infection happens to a pet dog or a cat, they are often rushed to the vet and the first option they get is an antiseptic. Antiseptics are good for cleaning wounds at the site of the infection, but they do not cure the infection.

“So the next option vets turn to is a course of antibiotics. But the dogs or cats return in two to three months when the infection is back,” Avinanda said.

With vets seeking topical treatments as alternatives to systemic antibiotics, she said what Healbac has developed from the body’s “natural defence mechanism would work wonders”.

She said Healbac would need to validate the use of the product before it can be commercialised.

“And if we were to commercialise it, there would be multiple benefits at different levels. It would be not only for humans but also for other applications. That was when we started targeting veterinary therapeutics,” she said.

The first “patient” to be treated with Healbac’s peptide was a French bulldog, whose skin infection cleared within three days of using the topical cream.

Currently, the start-up is working with six vet clinics in Singapore to test the peptide’s effectiveness in treating infections in cats and dogs.

“This is where we can position our peptide-based, topical, antimicrobial solution for vet therapeutics. We are still generating the clinical database to make sure that whatever we are building has an actual effect and not just (relying) on lab-based data,” Avinanda said.

“Once successful, we need to understand how we can position our product – whether it should be sold only at clinics or it should be an over-the-counter product.”