Drug discovery firm Trana to commercialize screening technology targeting staph
Drug discovery startup Trana Discovery plans to commercialize high-throughput test technology that it says could lead to development of anti-infectives targeting staph bacteria.
Backed by a $250,000 small business research loan from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, Trana says its test can identify compounds that inhibit reproduction of Staphylococcus aureus at the RNA level.
Because staph bacteria in some cases have developed resistance to antibiotics, the healthcare industry is seeking to develop new compounds for treatment.
If the commercialization project proves successful, Trana plans to license the assay technology to pharmaceutical firms. Trana’s technology is licensed from N.C. State.
Trana will work with the Department of Microbiology at N.C. State for microbiological testing, RTI International for toxicity to living cells, and UNC Chapel Hill’s School of Pharmacy for molecular modeling.
Southern Research in Alabama will provide high-throughput screening. The firm and Trana have already worked together on HIV drug discovery.
"The Biotechnology Center has been and continues to be an excellent partner in our efforts to discover new classes of anti-infectives,” said Steve Peterson, Trana’s chief executive officer. "Successful outcome of this project will validate the role of our technology as a drug discovery tool for new antibacterial agents, which in turn can be applied to virtually any other bacterial pathogen against which new treatments are needed."
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