University spinout raises £740,000 to accelerate development of novel antibiotics

Amprologix was founded by Professor Mathew Upton to further his pioneering research to tackle antimicrobial resistance
Professor Mat Upton in the lab
Amprologix, a University of Plymouth spinout company, has raised £740,000 through to accelerate development of its novel antibiotics to combat antimicrobial-resistant diseases. 
Research published earlier in 2025  showed a daily dose of epidermicin NI01, the lead candidate developed by the company, is as effective at treating wound infections – including those caused by Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) – as the current standard of care. 
The results were achieved through a robust skin MRSA infection model, with the new funds to be used to complete pre-clinical development of epidermicin NI01 and support Phase I human clinical trials for therapy of wound infections. 
In particular, there are plans to advance tests exploring whether the compound can be incorporated within gel-type therapies that can be applied to the skin. 
Amprologix was founded to commercialise the pioneering research of Professor of Medical Microbiology Professor Mathew Upton , a world-leading expert in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and lead of the University’s Antibiotic Resistant Pathogens Research Group. 
It is also in the early stages of developing a novel antibiotic for Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) – MRSA and C. difficile cause infections that can be difficult to treat and new therapies are urgently needed. 

I am extremely excited about the work that we will be able to carry out in the coming months with the recently secured investment. This will strengthen the case for development of epidermicin NI01 into a new therapy for skin infections that are a cause of pain and suffering for thousands of people in the UK every day.

We urgently need new therapies for these and other infections, some of which are life-threatening, and epidermicin has the potential to meet this need.  
Investment into this field is essential if we are going to make progress addressing the rise of drug-resistant infections, which threaten modern medical care. The support provided by our new investors is vital if we are to be successful in these efforts.

Mathew UptonProfessor Mathew Upton
Professor of Medical Microbiology

Investors include Plutus Investment Group LLP along with individuals, while InClin is supporting pre-clinical and clinical development work of the company.  
The latest funds will enable Amprologix to provide matched funding to deliver the £1 million TOBRADERM project, supported by Innovate UK’s Biomedical Catalyst programme. 
Amprologix is also positioning itself for a Series A funding round with the intention of raising £5 million to support the first human clinical trials of epidermicin NI01 in 2026, and the expansion of the portfolio of new drugs in development. 
The funding rounds are being supported by Frontier IP, the University of Plymouth’s commercialisation partner. 

The World Health Organisation has identified antimicrobial resistant diseases as one of the top 10 threats to human health globally. I am therefore excited by the potential for Amprologix’s novel antibiotics in helping to fight this scourge. Research results to date have been highly encouraging, and I am delighted by the success of this funding round, which will play a vital role in taking epidermicin NI01 through to human clinical trials.

Neil Crabb
Chief Executive Officer, Frontier IP
 
 
 
 

Read more information linked to this article

More related news

Professor Mat Upton in the lab
Antibiotic resistant pathogens with ITSMED visual mark

Antibiotic resistant pathogens research group

Antibiotic resistant bacteria inside a biofilm, 3D illustration. Biofilm is a community of bacteria where they acquire antibiotic resistance and communicate with each other by quorum sensing molecules.Image with ITSMed graphic inserted by Susie (Digital Marketing)

Amprologix: developing the next generation of antibiotics

An interactive workshop to discover new forms of antibiotic resistance using cutting-edge DNA sequencing methods.

How do we solve the antibiotic resistance crisis?

 

Explore the science behind human health, disease and therapeutics through research-informed education:

Biomedical Sciences Lab Session