Tell us more about Resistell.
Resistell is developing the world’s fastest Antibiotic Susceptibility Test (AST) which helps doctors in hospitals to find the right antibiotic treatment for the patient. The conventional methods of assessing microbial susceptibility to antibiotics take about 1-2 days to get the results, or up to a week for slowly growing pathogens.
This is extremely slow and concerning, especially for patients who are suffering from severe diseases, such as blood infection or those who are at risk of sepsis, hence faster methods are needed.
This is exactly what we are developing at Resistell – a much faster alternative that can provide the results within hours instead of days. Currently we are targeting bacteremia and sepsis.
Have you always known that you would become an entrepreneur?
No, I have a background in academia. I have a PhD in microbiology, and I worked in academia for many years before I founded Resistell. I did an Executive MBA at EPFL while working on my previous scientific job in Basel. It was during my time in Lausanne that I learned about the technology behind Resistell. I could see a clear problem that needed solving and the technology presented a strong solution, so I felt compelled to start the company and become an entrepreneur.
Where is the company today versus when you founded it?
The company was officially founded in 2018, but I personally started to work on this project in early 2017. In 2021, we started the first pilot study at the University Hospital in Lausanne and our first clinical data yielded a result that verifies how our method is in line with the gold standard – so far, we have 100% accuracy.
Our AST is very promising and shortened the time to result for the first bacteria and antibiotic combination to four hours compared to the gold standard of 11 to 17 hours. This is quite a spectacular result coming from a start-up.
Early on in 2017, the technology was in an academic phase and the patent was submitted but not yet granted. From there, we defended the IP and we filed many more patents as a company. As with any start-up, the most important task for the company founder at the start was to be able to finance the venture. We raised funding for the development of the technology and successfully closed two financing rounds. We have also received a couple of grants for further development of this technology.
Today, we have over 20 staff members. We also have our own laboratory and an office space of over 300 square meters in Muttenz. There are more than 20 devices currently being used for R&D and clinical studies. Soon we will be launching the first product for research and once we have completed the performance evaluation study, and upon gathering more clinical data, we are planning to certify our technology and launch the product for the diagnostic market towards the end of 2022.
Can you share some challenges you faced?
Financing is always a challenge. It was difficult to secure finance back in 2017 as antibiotic resistance was not a popular topic. For many years, this area was considered not to have generated the type of return on investment that was considered profitable enough for investors.
However, the situation changed in 2018-2019. There were national awareness campaigns being held with a focus on antibiotic resistance. This helped attract the attention to the project and of course, the COVID-19 pandemic hasnow completely changed the momentum for this topic because now the general public is aware of infectious diseases.
Big pharma companies are also returning to this field. In fact, five years ago this wasn’t considered a big issue in developed countries, such as Switzerland, but the perception has completely changed due to COVID-19. Now, most of the COVID patients who end up in hospitals, and especially those who are artificially ventilated, receive broad-spectrum antibiotic to prevent the development of hospital acquired infections.
The next challenge was to set up and consolidate the team and to find a good location where the company can grow. We were initially incorporated in Basel Technology Park and moved to Muttenz since it offers space to grow, and we could also set up our own laboratories here.
The Basel region has rolled out some initiatives which support the development of start-ups. This is a reason we decided to locate our company here. We benefit from the strong start-up support ecosystem with new infrastructures.
Team consolidation is also a big challenge. It’s something that founders and people in general often underestimate. Since Resistell is developing a completely new technology, it is not easy to find specialists in this field. Our antibiotic susceptibility test is based on monitoring of nanoscale motion of bacteria using micromechanical sensors, known as cantilevers. The technology is based on the principles ofatomic force microscopy. To find relevant skills and expertise we have to recruit internationally and often need to convince the experts to relocate to Muttenz. Attracting and maintaining these talents in a start-up is not so easy.
Finally, we also face regulatory challenges. Under the new In-Vitro Diagnostics Regulation (IVDR), placing new diagnostic products on the market will become more difficult and expensive since more extensive clinical data is required for the product certification.
What drives you?
I have been always interested in innovation in medicine. As a microbiologist, I used to work with many advanced microbiological and molecular methods which provide fantastic new knowledge about microbes. However, the antibiotic susceptibility tests that are primarily used to see whether bacteria react to certain drugs have not changed for almost 100 years.
In addition, I have a personal story with antimicrobial resistance. I was infected with two antibiotic resistant bacteria as a child in Poland after going into the hospital for a simple surgery. The antibiotic treatment of this infection took nearly three years. Hence, the medical challenge I focus on in my start-up Resistell is a natural consequence of my scientific interests, personal experience and a huge unmet need.
Bringing innovation to the market is in general very difficult and implementation of new technologies in hospitals is particularly challenging. My big dream and the ultimate goal that drives me is to see our AST method being used in hospitals for patients.
Best and worst part of being a CEO?
The best part is the possibility to be in the driver’s seat. As a CEO you can shape the organisation from the very beginning, develop the strategy, create the culture and bring your own vision to life.
It is also very exciting to put the team together. It’s very important to surround yourself with people who share your passion, trust and support each other, and want to develop this new venture together. Finding and maintaining these talents is crucial for the future success of the company.
The most stressful and difficult part is financing, especially now in the times of global pandemic and economic crisis.
What is your view on failure?
As a start-up, we constantly come across obstacles. Although we’ve been very successful, a big part of this success is to learn how to deal with challenges. It is crucial to have a team with a problem-solving mindset that is motivated rather than scared by challenges and obstacles.
Can you share a lesson learned?
Staying persistent is one of the most important lessons learned – to have a positive approach and never give up.
What are your hopes for Resistell?
The ultimate goal is to see Resistell AST become the new gold standard for antibiotics susceptibility testing in hospitals.