SEOUL, South Korea and KUMASI, Ghana, Feb. 12, 2026 – MicrobiotiX was hosted by the West Africa Centre for Innovative Research and Care (WAFCIRC) in Ghana for an official signing ceremony. This event formalized a significant memorandum of understanding (MoU) and initiated a strategic research partnership aimed at advancing bacteriophage-based therapies clinically to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) throughout Africa.
Dr. Dongeun Yong, CEO of MicrobiotiX, and Dr. John Adabie, Director of WAFCIRC, were present at the signing ceremony, highlighting their mutual dedication to tackling a critical public health issue in the region. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) disproportionately affects sub-Saharan Africa, with limited availability of effective antibiotics exacerbating the consequences of AMR-related infections.
This agreement enables MicrobiotiX to extend its clinical research activities beyond Asia into areas facing substantial unmet medical requirements. Given an existing clinical program in South Korea, this partnership marks a strategic move to globalize MicrobiotiX’s development initiatives and gather clinical data from varied patient demographics.
As per the MoU and the related research collaboration agreement, MicrobiotiX and WAFCIRC will undertake clinical studies. These studies will involve analyzing patient samples linked to AMR across various infectious diseases and evaluating the potential effectiveness of bacteriophage-based therapeutic candidates. WAFCIRC, collaborating with four clinical locations in Ghana, will manage the study’s execution, encompassing clinical operations, patient involvement, and data handling. MicrobiotiX will supply the bacteriophage therapeutic candidates produced at its internal GMP facility, alongside providing funding and technical documentation to facilitate the study’s execution.
“Our objective extends beyond merely developing new treatments; we aim to create a scalable framework for the clinical progression of phage therapies through collaborations with local organizations. We are dedicated to backing high-quality research and facilitating knowledge exchange to bolster long-term regional capacity focused on AMR,” stated Dr. Dongeun Yong, CEO of MicrobiotiX.
“Antimicrobial resistance is a constant clinical challenge in our area. This collaboration introduces a promising therapeutic approach into a clinical research structure managed locally, ensuring that innovations are assessed against actual patient requirements and existing healthcare system limitations,” commented Dr. John Adabie, Director of WAFCIRC.
In addition to developing products, this partnership endeavors to enhance regional research capabilities and support wider global initiatives aimed at improving readiness for and responses to drug-resistant infections. By integrating phage research within African healthcare facilities and converting discoveries into practical clinical evidence, the collaboration intends to ensure that new therapeutic strategies align with the requirements and practical circumstances of low- and middle-income nations, simultaneously establishing a scalable framework for expansion throughout Africa. By connecting clinical research led by local teams with therapeutic development and manufacturing capacities, WAFCIRC and MicrobiotiX seek to expedite the assessment of phage-based alternatives that could supplement antimicrobial stewardship programs and broaden the clinical arsenal as resistance levels continue to climb.
About MicrobiotiX
MicrobiotiX is a biotechnology firm in the clinical stage, dedicated to creating bacteriophage-based therapies for antibiotic-resistant and challenging bacterial infections, initially concentrating on respiratory ailments. The company is progressing a range of phage cocktail candidates designed to target critical pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae, which cause acute and chronic respiratory tract infections. MicrobiotiX utilizes its exclusive bacteriophage library and comprehensive drug development expertise, including PK/PD modeling and antibiotic synergy analysis, to facilitate clinical application. The company manages a GMP-certified phage manufacturing facility, allowing for in-house production of drug substances and supporting current and future clinical advancements.
CONTACT: bd@microbiotix.net
