EbsArgent® – Innovative antibacterial treatment with a novel mechanism of action
Thioredoxin Systems AB is developing an innovative antibiotic regimen for complicated urinary tract infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The technology is based on a novel mechanism of action that targets the bacterial antioxidant redox systems, thus promising to become an efficient treatment principle for many types of bacterial infections. EbsArgent® is aiding medical professionals in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI)
There are 400 million cases of urinary tract infections (UTIs) every year, affecting 12% of men and 60% of women at least once throughout their lives. While most UTIs respond well to antibiotics, some are considered complicated UTIs (cUTIs) as they are difficult to treat and can have severe outcomes.
Complicated UTIs constitute approximately 2% of all yearly US hospitalizations and require longer treatments or different antibiotics. Left untreated, they can lead to sepsis, a life-threatening response to infection that claims the lives of one-fifth of those affected. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens the timely treatment of cUTIs, as an alarming number of bacteria are adapting to resist antibiotic treatment, putting patients at risk of severe complications, or even death.
EbsArgent – An antibiotic to tackle AMR
EbsArgent is a groundbreaking antibiotic based on a novel mechanism of action, proving highly effective also against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), i.e., bacteria resistant to other antibiotics.
EbsArgent has demonstrated success with bactericidic effects against all WHO-classified critical priority pathogens and many other dangerous strains, while the data reveal that bacteria seem to fail developing resistance against EbsArgent itself. Notably, EbsArgent also prevents biofilm formation, an important therapeutic property because biofilm is a common occurrence in cUTIs as a contributor to persistent infections. Currently undergoing preclinical development, these promising results suggest that EbsArgent can become a comprehensive solution to combat cUTIs.
There is a shortage of new antibiotics under development
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains a critical challenge for global health. If action is not taken, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that 10 million lives could be lost annually to AMR-related infections by 2050.
Apart from human suffering, AMR also risks having major detrimental effects on societal development. The World Bank estimates that AMR may cause a 3.8% reduction in global GDP by 2050. WHO reports another concerning reality: current developments of new antibiotics are insufficient. Only 23% of current antibiotics in the clinical pipeline meet at least one of WHO’s criteria for innovation, and even fewer are targeting the WHO-classified critical priority pathogens. EbsArgent is effective against all of them.
EbsArgent is an innovative antibiotic treatment against priority pathogens
EbsArgent is a combination drug that satisfies all of WHO’s criteria for innovation. Its uniqueness lies in specifically targeting the bacterial thioredoxin reductase system.
By utilizing ebselen to disable the essential bacterial thioredoxin enzyme system and leveraging silver ions to synergistically enhance ebselen uptake, EbsArgent® achieves a high level of bactericidal activity. Extensive testing has proven that even multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, including the WHO-classified critical priority pathogens and the American CDC-determined “urgent threat” pathogens, are all susceptible to EbsArgent. Meeting all the WHO criteria for antimicrobial innovation (absence of known cross-resistance, new target, new mode of action, and/or new class) and maintained low toxicity to mammals, underlies the groundbreaking combination of efficacy and safety for EbsArgent as a novel antibiotic treatment.
A remarkable scientific discovery by redox pioneer Arne Holmgren (1940-2020)
EbsArgent was discovered by our founder, Professor Arne Holmgren (1940-2020), a distinguished professor at Karolinska Institutet.
EbsArgent® – Innovative antibacterial treatment with a novel mechanism of action
Thioredoxin Systems AB is developing an innovative antibiotic regimen for complicated urinary tract infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The technology is based on a novel mechanism of action that targets the bacterial antioxidant redox systems, thus promising to become an efficient treatment principle for many types of bacterial infections. EbsArgent® is aiding medical professionals in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI)
There are 400 million cases of UTIs every year, affecting 12% of men and 60% of women at least once throughout their lives. While most UTIs respond well to antibiotics, some are considered complicated UTIs (cUTIs) as they are difficult to treat and can have severe outcomes. Complicated UTIs constitute approximately 2% of all yearly US hospitalizations and require longer treatments or different antibiotics. Left untreated, they can lead to sepsis, a life-threatening response to infection that claims the lives of one-fifth of those affected. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens the timely treatment of cUTIs, as an alarming number of bacteria are adapting to resist antibiotic treatment, putting patients at risk of severe complications, or even death.
EbsArgent - An antibiotic to tackle AMR
EbsArgent is a groundbreaking antibiotic based on a novel mechanism of action, proving highly effective also against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), i.e., bacteria resistant to other antibiotics. EbsArgent has demonstrated success with bactericidic effects against all WHO-classified critical priority pathogens and many other dangerous strains, while the data reveal that bacteria seem to fail developing resistance against EbsArgent itself. Notably, EbsArgent also prevents biofilm formation, an important therapeutic property because biofilm is a common occurrence in cUTIs as a contributor to persistent infections. Currently undergoing preclinical development, these promising results suggest that EbsArgent can become a comprehensive solution to combat cUTIs.
There is a shortage of new antibiotics under development
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains a critical challenge for global health. If action is not taken, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that 10 million lives could be lost annually to AMR-related infections by 2050. Apart from human suffering, AMR also risks having major detrimental effects on societal development. The World Bank estimates that AMR may cause a 3.8% reduction in global GDP by 2050. WHO reports another concerning reality: current developments of new antibiotics are insufficient. Only 23% of current antibiotics in the clinical pipeline meet at least one of WHO's criteria for innovation, and even fewer are targeting the WHO-classified critical priority pathogens. EbsArgent is effective against all of them.
EbsArgent is an innovative antibiotic treatment against priority pathogens
EbsArgent is a combination drug that satisfies all of WHO’s criteria for innovation. Its uniqueness lies in specifically targeting the bacterial thioredoxin reductase system. By utilizing ebselen to disable the essential bacterial thioredoxin enzyme system and leveraging silver ions to synergistically enhance ebselen uptake, EbsArgent achieves a high level of bactericidal activity. Extensive testing has proven that even multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, including the WHO-classified critical priority pathogens and the American CDC-determined “urgent threat” pathogens, are all susceptible to EbsArgent. Meeting all the WHO criteria for antimicrobial innovation (absence of known cross-resistance, new target, new mode of action, and/or new class) and maintained low toxicity to mammals, underlies the groundbreaking combination of efficacy and safety for EbsArgent as a novel antibiotic treatment.
A remarkable scientific discovery by redox pioneer Arne Holmgren (1940-2020)
EbsArgent was discovered by our founder, Professor Arne Holmgren (1940-2020), a distinguished professor at Karolinska Institutet. The contributions of Prof. Holmgren to science include groundbreaking studies of the thioredoxin system, discovery of glutaredoxin, and helping to establish the field of modern redox biology, which earned him global recognition as a foremost authority and genuine pioneer in this field. He dedicated many years to studying the combination of ebselen and silver, resulting in multiple patents that are assigned to our company. Thioredoxin Systems AB continues to carry forward the legacy of Prof. Holmgren and his son, Magnus Holmgren, as well as his daughter, Anna-Lena Sventelius, serve on the BOARD OF DIRECTORS and are committed to advancing their father's vision.
