University of Liverpool wins Health Category in 2025 RSC Emerging Technologies Competition for Next-Gen Antibiotics
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A team led by Dr Ishwar Singh from the University of Liverpool's Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology has won a major Royal Society of Chemistry accolade after pioneering a robust and scalable platform for the synthesis of synthetic teixobactins which will enable development of a potential new class of antibiotics. Teixobactin, a naturally occurring antibiotic, attracted global attention for its remarkable ability to kill resistant bacteria, such as MRSA, by simultaneously targeting several essential lipid molecules vital to bacterial survival. Because these targets rarely change, bacteria find it extremely difficult to develop resistance. However, clinical development of natural teixobactin has been hindered by its very low production yields and high manufacturing costs, limiting scientists' ability to produce and optimise variations of the antibiotic necessary for drug development.
Our synthetic teixobactins overcome these limitations by creating a scalable, high-yield synthetic approach, we have developed affordable analogues that successfully eliminate drug-resistant bacteria without any detectable resistance emerging in pre-clinical tests. This innovation positions synthetic teixobactins as highly promising candidates for the next generation of antibiotics, ready to advance toward clinical development. By utilising affordable components, this technology presents a powerful approach in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a major public health threat, and has the potential to save millions of lives worldwide.
To achieve this prestigious award, Dr Anish Parmar presented to a panel of industry representatives from some of the most prominent companies in the world, covering both the science of their innovations and the market opportunities, as well as their planned approach to commercialisation and potential impacts.
Dr Helen Pain, CEO of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said “Our annual Emerging Technologies Competition celebrates the very best of chemical science innovation while catapulting exciting ideas towards commercialisation.
“Over the last decade the level of entries from entrepreneurs across the UK just seems to get better and better. It’s truly inspiring seeing first-hand how chemists are working at the cutting edge of scientific discovery, taking on challenges from air quality to antimicrobial resistance, playing a vital role in supporting a sustainable future and driving economic growth.
“It was a closely fought competition this year and I would like to personally congratulate all the winners and finalists on their success - and especially for battling on through a power cut in central London which meant many had to pitch without visual presentations. Previous winners have gone on to raise millions of pounds in equity investment and grant funding, and I cannot wait to watch our 2025 winners go from strength to strength.”
Held on 2 July, 24 finalists came together in London to pitch in person for the competition final. The internationally renowned panel of judges included representation from organisations such as AstraZeneca, GSK, Unilever and Johnson Matthey. After an initial application process, finalists were invited to pitch their innovations to the panel before winners were decided.
The competition showcases some of the most promising chemistry applications across four core categories. This year, entrants represented a range of proposals from tech innovators, start-ups and spin outs. The winners share £100,000 of no strings funding and invaluable publicity to accelerate and grow their businesses.
Dr Anish Parmar said: Presenting our synthetic teixobactin platform at the RSC Emerging Technologies Competition was an unforgettable experience—made even more memorable by the unexpected power cut that meant I had to deliver the pitch without any slides. Despite that, the response from the judges was incredibly encouraging and speaks volumes about the strength of our science.
“It's an amazing feeling. It was a very tough competition so I'm actually in shock that we won! This will have a huge impact for us in the sense that it gives us recognition, but also gives us a structure at the same time. We're already planning to open a spin-out, so this is going to help in the sense that I can free my time in the lab and focus more on the business side of things.”
Dr Ishwar Singh said: “To be recognised by such a distinguished panel is a powerful endorsement of the translational and commercial potential of our platform. We are truly honoured by this award. It will have a transformative impact on the development and commercialisation of our synthetic teixobactin platform. Aligning with the broad scope of our Therapeutics Innovation frontier, we are excited to develop our research in partnership with industry in order to tackle one of the most pressing global health challenges of our time: antimicrobial resistance.”
This breakthrough builds on support from national and charitable funders, including the SBRI Healthcare programme delivered through Innovate UK, the NBIC ICure programme for commercialisation training, and crucially, funding from the RoseTrees Trust, which enabled deeper exploration of synthetic teixobactins.
Information for University staff
This technology was commercialised with support from the University of Liverpool’s Enterprise Team, which helps academics turn ideas into real-world products and services that tackle global challenges. Learn more about their funding, training, and support here.
Read more about the synthetic teixobactin platform
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Therapeutics Innovation
The Therapeutics Innovation frontier was established to position the University of Liverpool at the forefront of efforts to revolutionise the drug discovery and medicine development pathway. Our distinctive capabilities bridge the gap between industry, global charities, and academia, enabling us to work collaboratively to tackle major health challenges. Watch our video to find out more.