2025. 02. 04.

LyseNTech’s Preclinical Study of Endolysin-Based Antibiotic Published in International Journal

Professor Heejoon Myung of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) has published a paper in an international scientific journal reporting the results of a preclinical study on endolysin, which is gaining attention as a promising next-generation antibacterial agent.

Hankuk University of Foreign Studies announced on the 4th that a research paper by Professors Heejoon Myung and Miryoung Song of the Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, detailing their preclinical studies of an endolysin-based antibacterial candidate, was published on the 27th in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules.

Endolysins are enzymes that kill bacteria by degrading their cell walls. They have attracted considerable attention as potential alternatives to conventional antibiotics, particularly in addressing infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The endolysin candidate received regulatory approval from Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) last year to proceed with a Phase 1 clinical trial.

Professor Myung’s research has focused on developing endolysins targeting Gram-negative bacteria. Gram-negative bacteria are particularly challenging therapeutic targets because they possess an outer membrane that acts as an additional barrier to antibacterial agents. The development of effective new treatments against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections remains a significant unmet medical need.

The preclinical studies conducted by the HUFS research team involved laboratory and animal experiments designed to generate the safety and efficacy data required before testing a drug candidate in humans. Following these preclinical studies, the Gram-negative bacteria-targeting endolysin candidate developed by the research team is expected to become the world’s first of its kind to enter clinical trials.

Link: https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20250204_0003052020