Phyton Biotech Successfully Completes Corallopyronin A Technology Transfer
PRESS RELEASE
Phyton Biotech Successfully Completes Corallopyronin A Technology Transfer
This achievement exemplifies Phyton’s broad fermentation capabilities across organism classes
Ahrensburg, Germany – February 2, 2026 – Phyton Biotech has successfully transferred the manufacturing process for the microbial production of Corallopyronin A (CorA). CorA is a novel anti-infective agent with the potential to address neglected tropical diseases. This achievement marks a significant step forward in the Company’s specialty GMP fermentation capabilities and supports the broader clinical development program led by the University Hospital Bonn (UKB), the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF).
CorA is a natural product anti-infective with a unique mechanism of action, showing potent activity against filarial infections such as river blindness (onchocerciasis) and lymphatic filariasis (LF), as well as against Staphylococci and the bacteria that cause community acquired pneumonia (CAP). The filarial infections are predominantly found in Africa (and in the case of LF, also in Asia), affect millions of patients and are caused by parasitic worms that depend on bacterial symbionts. CorA selectively targets these symbionts, offering a promising therapeutic approach.
The technology transfer was successfully completed at the 1500 L scale at Phyton Biotech’s GMP facilities near Hamburg, Germany (Fermentation) and in Vancouver, Canada (Purification). Key outcomes include:
- Robust fermentation of the genetically engineered Myxococcus xanthus strain.
- Efficient cell separation using tangential flow filtration (TFF).
- High-yield resin capture and purification of CorA, meeting all critical quality attributes.
“Completing the Corallopyronin A technology transfer marks an important milestone for Phyton Biotech and our partners,” said Colin Marr, President of Phyton Biotech. “It highlights our comprehensive fermentation expertise including organism classes not broadly used in industry and our ability to support the scale-up of this novel therapy for clinical evaluation.”
With the initial transfer process now complete, Phyton Biotech is preparing to demonstrate scalability and process performance at the 7500 L scale to supply GMP quality CorA for upcoming clinical trials.
This project is part of a broader international collaboration supported by the DZIF and the Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund from Japan through collaboration with Eisai Co. Ltd., aiming to advance CorA as a new treatment option for diseases that disproportionately affect underserved populations. Prof. Achim Hoerauf, principal investigator of the CorA development consortium and Director of the Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology emphasizes the importance of the DZIF and GHIT in enabling the project to meet high international standards in preclinical development. “Through the DZIF and GHIT, we were able to implement these standards within a consortium of academic institutions working alongside industrial partners—an achievement that would normally take years,” says Hoerauf. The DZIF’s broad spectrum of expertise was key to the project’s success: the optimized heterologous production strain was developed at HZI under the leadership of Prof. Rolf Müller, the production process was established by Prof. Marc Stadler, while orally available formulations were developed in Bonn under Prof. Karl Wagner (supported by the ForTra gGmbH for Research Transfer of the Else Kröner Fresenius Foundation) and will now be used in the upcoming clinical trial.
About Phyton Biotech
Phyton Biotech is a global leader in specialty fermentation, renowned for its Plant Cell Fermentation (PCF®) platform. Our facilities expertly handle shear-sensitive organisms—including bacterial, fungal, and other eukaryotic cells—safeguarding fragile cultures from damage inflicted by conventional methods. Advanced gentle agitation and bioreactor designs maintain cell viability while delivering high yields of valuable APIs.
With over 200 m³ of installed capacity across certified GMP facilities in Germany and Canada, we offer end-to-end services to accelerate the development and commercialization of natural molecules through fermentation.
For more information, please visit phytonbiotech.com.
About University Hospital Bonn (UKB)
https://www.microbiology-bonn.de/en
https://www.dzif.de/en/corallopyronin-new-antibiotic-against-worm-infections
About Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI)
https://www.helmholtz-hzi.de/en/research/research-groups/details/microbial-drugs/
https://www.helmholtz-hips.de/en/research/teams/team/microbial-natural-products/
About Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund
The GHIT Fund is a Japan-based international public-private partnership (PPP) fund that was formed between the Government of Japan, multiple pharmaceutical companies, the Gates Foundation, Wellcome, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The GHIT Fund invests in and manages an R&D portfolio of development partnerships aimed at addressing neglected diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases, which afflict the world’s vulnerable and underserved populations. In collaboration with global partners, the GHIT Fund mobilizes Japanese industry, academia, and research institutes to create new drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics.
For more information, please contact:
Phyton Biotech GmbH
Stephen Ball, VP of Business Development
stephen.ball@phytonbiotech.com