Publication date: August 7, 2026
How to transform fundamental scientific research into technology that can help combat one of the greatest challenges of modern medicine, namely antibiotic resistance? The answer to this question is provided by the story of Enzybiotx, a Polish biotechnological startup developing innovative enzybiotics. What is particularly important is that the company is among the few teams from Poland to secure funding under the European FFplus (Fortissimo Plus) program, which supports the use of HPC and artificial intelligence technologies in business.
In an interview with ACC Cyfronet AGH, Dr. hab. Izabela Sabała and Dr. Grzegorz Wieczorek discuss the journey from scientific research to the creation of a startup, the importance of high-performance computing, and why the future of designing new therapies will be inextricably linked to the power of supercomputers.
It all started with scientific curiosity
The history of Enzybiotx did not begin in a garage or while searching for a business idea. Its source was research conducted at a scientific institute. As Dr. hab. Izabela Sabała recalls, the breakthrough occurred during work on Staphylococcus aureus proteins. The research team managed to determine the structure of one of them and understand its mechanism of action. It was precisely the knowledge of the protein's structure that allowed scientists to design its active version. The results were surprising. The enzyme effectively destroyed the cell walls of Staphylococcus aureus, leading to the rapid elimination of the bacteria. The scientists realized that by using the natural mechanisms of bacteria against themselves, they could create a completely new tool to fight infections. This is how the idea for the development of enzybiotics and the creation of the Enzybiotx startup was born.
What are enzybiotics?
Enzybiotics represent an alternative to traditional antibiotics. Their greatest advantage is exceptional precision of action. The first enzyme developed by the team, named aurezin, selectively eliminates staphylococci without damaging the other bacteria that make up the body's natural microbiota. This is a fundamental difference compared to classical antibiotics, which often act broadly and can disrupt the microbiological balance. Moreover, enzybiotics show effectiveness against antibiotic-resistant strains and bacterial biofilms, which are among the most difficult forms of infection. At the same time, the risk of developing resistance to this mechanism of action is very low. This makes the technology developed by Enzybiotx potentially an important element in the fight against the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.
One problem, many applications
The potential applications of this technology extend far beyond human medicine. Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for numerous skin infections, hard-to-heal wounds, and hospital complications. At the same time, it is a significant problem in veterinary medicine and animal husbandry. One of the areas Enzybiotx is currently focusing on is mastitis, i.e., bacterial inflammation of the udder in dairy cows. This disease generates huge economic losses worldwide and is one of the main reasons for the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry. The company's activities align with the One Health concept, which assumes a close link between the health of humans, animals, and the environment. Limiting the use of antibiotics in agriculture can indeed have a real impact on reducing the scale of antibiotic resistance.
From the lab to the market. A marathon, not a sprint
Although the scientific discovery was groundbreaking, the path to technology implementation turned out to be much more difficult.
As Dr. hab. Izabela Sabała emphasizes:The development of new therapies is like a marathon, not a sprint. In addition to scientific aspects, it is necessary to secure intellectual property, obtain long-term financing, and gain the trust of business partners. At the same time, the market situation is changing dynamically. Just a few years ago, conversations with large pharmaceutical companies ended mainly with polite interest. Today, industry representatives increasingly initiate meetings themselves, recognizing the potential of new enzyme-based therapies.
FFplus. European support for Polish innovation
One of the most important steps in the company's development was recently obtaining funding under the FFplus (Fortissimo Plus) program. This is a European initiative supporting the use of advanced computing technologies, artificial intelligence, and HPC infrastructure by companies developing innovative solutions. In Poland, the program operator is ACC Cyfronet AGH. Enzybiotx is among the few companies in Poland to win support in this prestigious competition. Thanks to this, the team can develop a project focused on overcoming one of the most difficult problems related to staphylococcal infections: the elimination of bacteria hiding inside host cells. It is here that supercomputers begin to play a key role.
When biology meets HPC
In the development of new enzymes, knowledge of the protein sequence is no longer enough. It is necessary to understand its three-dimensional structure and behavior in a dynamic biological environment.
As Dr. Grzegorz Wieczorek explains:Researchers use molecular dynamics simulations, which allow them to analyze protein behavior over time and predict the effects of specific modifications. Thanks to this, it is possible to reduce the number of costly laboratory experiments and focus on the most promising variants.
Simulations of this type require huge computing resources, which is why access to HPC infrastructure is becoming one of the key elements of modern biotechnological research.
Next goal: bacteria hidden in cells
Currently, the biggest challenge for the team is to develop enzymes capable of eliminating bacteria located inside eukaryotic cells. Although current solutions allow for the effective removal of the vast majority of staphylococci, a small portion of bacteria can hide inside host cells. It is these microorganisms that are often responsible for chronic and recurrent infections. The goal of the project supported by FFplus is to design such enzyme modifications that will enable them to reach this hard-to-access group of bacteria, while maintaining high antibacterial activity. If this goal is achieved, Enzybiotx technology could reach a completely new level of effectiveness.
From the synchrotron to the dairy farm
What is particularly inspiring in the history of Enzybiotx is the combination of basic research with practice. As Dr. Izabela Sabała emphasizes, one day the team analyzes protein structures using advanced research infrastructure, and the next day checks the effectiveness of the same solutions in real breeding conditions. It is precisely this combination of science, entrepreneurship, and modern computing technologies that shows how solutions responding to the biggest health challenges of the modern world can be created. For ACC Cyfronet AGH, this is also an example of the real impact of HPC infrastructure on innovation development. Thanks to the FFplus program, advanced computing reaches where it can bring tangible social and economic benefits, supporting companies developing technologies with global potential.
Read about the role of Cyfronet in the Fortissimo Plus project. Visit the project website and explore inspiring success stories.
