Aequor's new green antimicrobials combat AMR pathogens

This Challenge seeks solutions that will offer new ways of measuring primary health care performance improvement in low- and middle-income countries. This assumes that measuring primary health care performance improvements have been achieved in developed countries.

This is not the case.  Through its participation in the Global Health Security Network, Aequor was tasked with evaluating WHO infection prevention and control guidelines for public places.  They remain woefully outdated.  The guidelines for hospitals and health care institutions are also inadequate.  This is because the WHO, disinfection product manufacturers and healthcare providers continue to ignore microbiology 101 – the fact that most bacteria and fungi are biofilm formers.

 

Bacteria and fungi have developed resistance responses to environmental stresses and immediately protect themselves by forming "Biofilm" -- the extracellular matrix that most bacteria and fungi envelop themselves in as their first and often only resistance response against environmental threats: immune system/biologics, antibiotics, vaccines, biocides and physical removal (debridement/scraping, sterilization, UV, sonication, etc.). To kill bacteria and fungi under their biofilm, antibiotics would have to be used at 1000x the dose needed to kill free-floating pathogens. This dose is of course toxic to humans, debilitates the patient and offers no cure.

 

The main way to control the spread of infection is to sterilize and disinfect surfaces.  But biofilm makes this impossible today, enabling the underlying microorganisms to survive sterilization, sonication, ethylene oxide gas fumigation, UV light, etc.  Clean room operators admit that it is impossible to achieve a totally clean room, and the FDA has acquiesced to accept “tolerable” levels of contamination.  However, clean rooms have been shut down because of biofilm finally traced to the screw hole under a table.

 

Biofilm also spreads in air and water.  It was identified on a titanium plate within 30 seconds after sterilization, indicating that it transmitted in the air -- often from air conditioners (as was Legionnaire's disease; a deadly Candida auris fungi outbreak in New York hospitals was traced to biofilm on the curtains in between patients' beds; a MRSA outbreak in an entire ward was traced to biofilm on the tie knot of the doctor making the rounds. 

 

Over $300 billion is spent annually on toxic chemicals to address microfouling on surfaces. This has created the secondary problems of triggering further antimicrobial resistance and polluting the environment with chemicals that accumulate and persist in ecosystems and organisms -- up the food chain.

 

It is no coincidence that today every antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacterial and fungal pathogen, pandemic threat, urgent threat, and biothreat (anthrax, tularemia, botulism, plague, etc.) is a "biofilm"-former.  Tragically, the NIH and CDC report that 80% of all wound infections and 90% of all hospital-acquired infections are associated with biofilm. Over 1.27 million people died from biofilm-related infections in 2019. In 2020, the CDC announce that 20% of COVID deaths were from biofilm-related infections. Children with otitis media (a biofilm infection) end up deaf. Cystic fibrosis (a biofilm) is considered incurable. Simple infected wounds from a playground, chemo or diabetic wound or bed sore result in amputation or death. 

Cynthia Burzell, Ph.D., is a Marine and Medical Microbiologist studying natural mechanisms that inhibit biofilm formation on surfaces in contact with water. In 2002, she discovered a new genus and several new species of marine microbes that produce small molecules that remove biofilm in minutes and prevent its formation for days. The molecules are new antimicrobials that can replace thousands of toxic biocides and can be developed into new drug candidates to kill the biofilm-forming bacteria and fungi -- including the antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) Superbugs for which there is no cure.  She screened the extracts of the marine microbes and isolated hundreds of chemical compounds that were active against Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, and fungi.  She down selected one, A-2001, as the “primary natural chemical” because it presented the broadest spectrum activity.

 

Aequor’s patent portfolio includes over 70 chemicals that are divided into categories: 

--Novel natural chemicals. Lonza validated that the primary natural chemical removed biofilm in minutes and stated: "Nothing else known can do this at non-toxic doses."  Since 2009, Aequor has produced milligram quantities of A-2001 via biosynthesis in the lab and tested its efficacy to kill the AMR pathogens, remove biofilm and prevent biofilm formation using American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard testing methodologies. The National Institutes for Health (NIH)'s Biodefense and Emerging Infections Research Resources Repository and the CDC send to Aequor the latest clinical strains of AMR and multi-drug-resistant (MDR) pathogens to test because they are all biofilm-formers and are mutating quickly.

 

--30 new structural analogs. These kill Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and fungi alone, in combinations with each other, and in combination with low doses of existing, ineffective antibiotics (including Penicillin), "potentiating" them to kill AMR pathogens at doses too low to trigger resistance.  Upon reviewing the testing results, the NIH's National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the Army Medical Institute for Infectious Diseases (AMRIID) executed contracts with Aequor to provide free pre-clinical trials for as many new drug candidates as Aequor can deliver to them. These trials are required prior to submitting Investigational New Drug applications for the new drug candidates to the U.S. Food and Drug Agency (FDA). Aequor held 3 "TechWatches" with the U.S. Health and Human Services' Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), which offered to design the NIH/NIAID pre-clinical trials so that Aequor's new drug candidates would be eligible as qualified investigational drug products (QIDPs) for expedited approval by the FDA.

 

--40 structural analogs are already approved under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Toxic Substances Control Act, certified as "green" and available for immediate sale. These have been validated for the following agro-industrial verticals:

(a)Surface cleaners: The U.S. Department of Agriculture validated that low concentrations of Aequor's formulations provide deep cleaning of inert, nano and organic surfaces and materials;

(b)Water treatments: NASA validated that one dose of Aequor's treatment in the International Space Station's water reuse/recycling system lasted 15 months without replenishment. DOE validated that our treatments lower energy consumption by over 10% in buildings and industrial processes. Future validations include pilot projects with the EPA to test efficacy in hospital plumbing systems.

 

Results

Over 13 years of testing , Aequor has demonstrated that it’s a-2001 and its novel small molecules are non-toxic, non-cytotoxic and consistently kill the following Gram-negative and Gram-positive AMR pathogens alone at low doses:  AMR and MDR Staphylococcus aureus (Methicillin-resistant/MRSA, vancomycin-intermediate/VISA, vancomycin-resistant/VRSA); Pseudomonas aeruginosa (type 2 mucoid mutant associated with Cystic Fibrosis, carbapenem-R, P179  gentamycin-R, streptomycin-R, sulfonamide-R, ampicillin-R, amoxicillin-R, metal ion-R); E. coli (serotype O157:H7 streptomycin-R, sulfisoxazole-R, tetracycline-R); Acinetobacter baumannii (carbapenem-R); Enterobacteriaceae (carbapenem-R, ESBL-producing); Salmonella enterica (Serovar Typhimurium fluoroquinolone-R, ampicillin-R, chloramphenicol-R, kanamycin-R, sulfa-trimethoprim-R, triple sulfa-R, streptomycin-R, tetracycline-R, ceftazidime-R); and Candida auris and Aspergillus fungi.

 

Additionally, A-2001 “potentiates” otherwise ineffective antibiotics (like Penicillin, Gentamycin, Methicillin and Vancomycin) to kill the Superbugs MRSA and VRSA at doses too low (sub-MIC) to trigger resistance. This makes global treatment and rapid response remedies accessible in the event of a pandemic outbreak or emergency (Penicillin is easy to come by globally) that are cost-effective and reduce the use/overuse of high doses of antibiotics (stewardship) that contribute to trigger further microbial resistance.

 

The 40 synthesized analogs also kill AMR pathogens and potentiate biocides at 1/10th of their current doses.  25 of these are EPA approved under the U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and are classified as dispersants, surfactants, fresheners, water treatments and surface cleaners.  They will require approval under U.S. EPA's Federal Insecticide Fungicide Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) in order to make antimicrobial, antibiofilm and antifouling claims.  (This approval costs $2M per chemical and can take up to 2 years.)

Antimicrobials, although still widely used and prescribed, fail in the presence of biofilm. 

 

Aequor’s cleaners and water treatments are simple top use and eliminate contamination for long periods of time.  Compare with the 499 products included on EPA's List N "Disinfectants for Use Against COVID" -- until EPA published a report admitting that only 5 of these products have proven efficacy against COVID-19.  In addition, EPA revised the List N website with the disclaimer that EPA "expects all products on List N to work against COVID when used according to label directions."  All product labels directions require that the surface be "pre-cleaned" -- which refers to the removal of soil and biofilm. https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/how-does-epa-know-products-list-n-work-sars-cov-2

 

Aequor's natural chemical was validated as highly effective to kill the biofilm-forming bacteria and fungi, including AMR Superbugs in minutes.  It can be used alone and also potentiates existing cleaners to kill the Superbugs at lower doses reducing the amount of harsh chemicals used.  The 5 List N products that actually do kill COVID are in fat so toxic that their label warns that they need to be washed off a surface before it is put in contact with food or children.   Aequor can come in and solve an urgent need.

Aequor's new drug candidates intend to provide the following value added for stakeholders in hospitals, medical and dental clinics, laboratories, and veterinary clinics, and particularly in field medical treatment facilities:

--Wounds and burns become rapidly contaminated with AMR bacterial and fungal biofilm for which there are no effective medical countermeasures.

--Critical clinical surfaces (surgical theater, ICU, instruments, devices, etc.) in clinical treatment centers and hospitals become rapidly contaminated with antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacterial and fungal biofilm for which there are no effective medical countermeasures.

--Every AMR pathogen and every biothreat is a biofilm-former for which there are no effective medical countermeasures. But Aequor’s chemicals can immediately “potentiate” them to work at very low doses (including Penicillin), solving the problems of access and cost for cures.

 

Aequor has evaluated potential strategies for product launch simultaneously in several geographies, particularly to combat an outbreak or emerging AMR bacterial pandemic. We factored in the fastest possible paths to proof point, reduced burn rate, and maximum protection for Aequor.  They include the following:

• Entering into a contract with one or more chemical manufacturers/distributors to sell Aequor’ s chemicals as ingredients to third-party formulators (low costs, 1-year path for TSCA markets, low risk, low profits, possible relationship for distributing proprietary formulations, etc. for higher profits.
• Developing in-house customized end-use products for customers that enter into pilot testing agreements that are expected to lead to exclusive purchase orders for a period of 1 year, with the option for a first-right of negotiation on an exclusive licensing agreement for a territory.
• Entering into an early collaboration with a credible fast-moving strategic partner/licensee for rapid market penetration in broader territories (2-year minimum path, low risk, possibility of high up-front, milestones, low royalty stream once products developed and regulatory barriers overcome TBD), positioning for downstream licensing or acquisition.
• Procuring private funding for in-house product development while pursuing customer funding and U.S. grants and sales to government buyers as a Woman-Owned Small Business (2-year path, low/no revenues, low risk, high value of data, positioning for downstream lucrative expansion and licensing).

Aequor believes all four strategies would be needed. B2B sales will be accompanied by subscription testing services in order to capture and retain customers, share best practices, training and custom product adaptation.

Cynthia Burzell, Ph.D., a Marine and Medical Microbiologist, who knows where to look in the natural environment to find natural antimicrobials. In addition to working with Dr. Costerton, she worked with the chemists at the National Center for Natural Product Research and Warner-Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry to refine A-2001’s structure. She worked with other specialized chemists to formulate the 25 EPA/TSCA-approved structural analogs into products appropriate for pilot projects undertaken with government agencies and multinationals (including clean room operators) demonstrating superior performance in surface cleaners, water treatments and industrial process enhancers.  In 2020, Cynthia was selected by a major international airport to test for contamination on high-touch surfaces inside the terminal and aircraft cabins before and after "disinfection." She was also selected by the Global Health Security Network to review the WHO Guidelines for cleaning in public places. The results of this study is being prepared for presentation to the CDC of Africa, highlighting the serious gaps in cleaning products and protocols used against AMR pathogens. Current projects are with the EPA (Legionella biofilm in hospital plumbing), NASA (biofilm compromising life-support systems) and the Air Force (biofilm clogging filters adsorbing PFAS and other toxic chemicals from drinking water).

 

Co-Founder Marilyn Bruno, Ph.D., J.D., is a serial entrepreneur building on 20 years in international business and finance (including being featured in Bloomberg/Business Week and awarded Woman Entrepreneur of the Year for successful startups), law (including Clerk at the Court of International Trade) followed by 16 years in the U.S. Foreign Service responsible for Economic Affairs, including managing the pandemic threat portfolio and complex virtual projects – creating the first international network for pandemic outbreak surveillance and reporting, working with the United Nation’s World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) and Organization of Animal Health (OIE) on the genesis of the “One Health” approach to controlling infectious diseases, which spread from animal, human and environmental vectors.  As CEO of Aequor since 2008, she raised $1.35 million cash and achieved contributions in kind from government USDA, DOE, NASA and multinationals valued over $2M. 

 

Founders assembled a highly proactive Scientific Advisory Board and Business Advisory Board, comprised of experts that fill management and expertise gaps and meet with them weekly.

 

Aequor seeks support to fully develop its portfolio of small molecules. The level of development of A-2001 is at TRL-4; the synthesized new drug candidates are at TRL-2. The next steps are to re-confirm the molecular structure of A-2001, chemically synthesize it (already achieved in 2-5 steps) and/or produce it at scale using biosynthesis.  Aequor will then chemically-synthesize five to ten of the 30 structural analogs that Aequor has patented, and scale them up to milligram and gram quantities (already achieved in 2-5 steps).  After testing them for activity, they will be scaled to the half-kilo quantities required in order to start the NIAID and AMRIID pre-clinical trials.  The Level of development of the TSCA-approved synthesized analogs is TRL 8.

Regarding barriers, Aequor has been trying to pick up the baton of Dr. J. William Costerton, the Founder’s mentor who passed away in 2012.  Dr. Costerton coined the term “biofilm” in the ‘90s and was struck by the irrational push-back he received. 

Biofilm is covered in Microbiology 101 and the subject of hundreds of NIH peer reviewed articles for the past 30 years. But the FDA still does not require biofilm testing efficacy for new drug candidates in pre-clinical trials.  As a result, new drug candidates that work in the lab against free-floating bacteria and fungi fail in the presence of biofilm during later stage clinical trials, after $$billions of investment and grant funding has been wasted, further depleting resources for the unmet need of controlling AMR pathogens and biothreats.

The situation is even more serious:

--FDA does not recognize any product making "antibiofilm" claims and sends them to the EPA for consideration as "antimicrobial pesticides. 

--There are no rapid diagnostics possible once the biofilm has formed.  The biofilm must be cultured over 2 days and then analyzed to identify the bacteria inside. Multiple species of bacteria and fungi inhabit the same biofilm and share genetic material, triggering further AMR. Any company claiming a rapid diagnostic has only tested against free-floating bacteria and fungi and is unfamiliar with biofilm.

--Targeted antibiotics that are designed to kill only one species will not work against all of the pathogens inside a typical biofilm. Broad spectrum remedies and combination drugs are needed to kill the AMR pathogens which today populate the same biofilm and infections.

--There are still no reimbursement codes in the U.S. for therapeutics making antibiofilm claims.  As a result, R&D to develop biofilm remedies remains unfundable.

--Legislators, their advisors and reviewers lack background in Microbiology.  Appropriators are awarding funding for “AMR” but not distinguishing between AMR bacteria/fungi from AMR viruses.   They are also not separating apples (cures for AMR bacteria and fungi) from oranges (vaccines, biologics, diagnostics, etc.) which do not work in the presence of biofilm.

-- Big Pharma abandoned its anti-infective research citing low ROI, diverting their resources to developing “blockbuster” therapeutics (those that you have to take every day for the rest of your life – e.g. for high blood pressure, cardio, alopecia, etc.) and leaving start-ups in the anti-infective without an "Exit" (licensing or acquisition). 

--Private investors therefore walked away.

--Today, Big Pharma is demanding "pull incentives" (including a $1 billion cash bonus) even though these incentives won't come into play until the new drug candidates are on the market in 5-7 years. In the meantime, despite some promising gestures, Big Pharma is still unwilling to take the risk of early-stage new drug development. 

--The grant reviewers primarily have backgrounds in Pharma and are not supporting disruptive innovation.  

Aequor hopes to disrupt conventional thinking about healthcare in our challenging times of AMR Superbugs. Absent a policy spokesperson on this,  the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Global Antibiotic R&D Partnership tapped Cynthia to write the Definition of Biofilm in its Antimicrobial Encyclopaedia - https://revive.gardp.org/resources/antimicrobial-encyclopaedia/.

In 2016, Marilyn was invited to speak at the UN General Assembly High Level Meetings on AMR, where it was declared the #1 health threat facing mankind because >700K people were already dying annually from incurable AMR infections.  Marilyn spoke about the role of biofilm in AMR infection and disease and the need for the One Health approach to curbing transmission and breaking down the silos between animal, human and environmental health. 

Having worked in developing countries through her State Department work, Marilyn is aware of needs for resources and capacity-building.  Today, the internet can deliver videos with training on all aspects of infection control and prevention in hospitals and public places. Aequor proposes developing a library of videos and checklists to enable healthcare providers and personnel, and other stakeholders, to understand the problems and implement best practices to solve them. 

Material would address background (biofilm, One Health, global surveillance and reporting , etc.) and best practices to control contamination on:

--Non-critical surfaces (inert, nano and organic)

--Critical surfaces (instruments, prosthetics, cleanrooms, etc.)

--Tissues (prophylactics, e.g. washes for surgical sites, wounds, burns, nasal swab prior to surgery to reduce MRSA spread, etc.)

--Therapeutics – including potentiation of otherwise obsolete antibiotics.

This library could be easily translated into every language desired.  Interactive sessions, webinars, etc. could be added as available.

 

Aequor's chemicals are the only broad spectrum, non-toxic remedies that kill bacteria and fungi at all stages of growth, including biofilm.  They are small molecules, easy to synthesize, are stable and more long lasting than anything known.

 

Since regulatory approvals are needed before any chemicals can e sold, Aequor's beachhead is the $50 billion U.S. specialty chemical market for TSCA-approved chemicals and products containing them: dispersants, water treatments, surface cleaners, fresheners, etc.  Aequor will first sell its treatments to the algae and yeast biomass market.

 

Once Aequor achieves the higher-level EPA regulatory approval Aequor can sell into the $300 billion market for antimicrobial, antibiofilm and antifouling agents for disinfectant cleaners, potable water treatments, preservatives, materials, paints and coatings, etc.  This higher approval is called the Federal Insecticide Rodenticide Fungicide Act (FIFRA) and costs $2 million to achieve for ingredients and products containing them.  For expanding sales outside the U.S., Aequor would need approvals from the equivalent authorities of EPA/FIFRA (EU REACH, Canada's PMRA, etc.).  Aequor plans to offer licenses in exchange for regulatory approvals.

 

 

Our focus is One Health. Our challenge is to educate the public health stakeholders and the public on what they can do to protect themselves against AMR Superbug threats before the first AMR pandemic manifests.

Our environmental solutions are serving a wide number of customers in various verticals.  However, our medical solutions currently serve 0 people and are unlikely to serve more until we overcome regulatory and other barriers.  With funding and support over the next 5 years, Aequor's solutions could save 700,000 lives annually, based on 2016 estimates of AMR deaths.  Ultimately, Aequor's new drugs could reduce the vulnerability of the world population of 8 billion people in 5 years and $ trillions in healthcare costs.

The Presidents at the recent G7 Summit have renewed their pledges to collaborate to find cures for pandemic threats. The levels of funding backing these pledges are historic, and Aequor may benefit from this R&D funding.

The chemical megasector tops $5.3 trillion/year. It dominates almost everything manufactured in our world.  Aequor has been at the vanguard of the "Green Chemistry" movement since it was founded. While still an uphill battle to reduce the use of toxic chemicals, "green" chemicals now generate $100 billion annually.  Aequor has received important validations confirming that our green chemicals are more effective and less toxic than anything on the market. 

 

Aequor chemicals replaced the antibiotics used in yeast fermentation that remain in the process residues (distiller's yeast) that are fed to animals.  This unnecessary use of antibiotics is causing further resistance of the AMR pathogens that are projected to trigger the next pandemic. At meetings where Aequor was a panelist in 2019 (BIO WCIB and Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference), all of the yeast fermenters said that they would "go out of business" if antibiotics were banned from their processes. The Department of Energy validated that Aequor’s chemicals boosted yeast biomass while eliminating the need for antibiotics.  

When Marilyn was serving as a State Department officer in charge of the bird and swine flu pandemic response in 2004-5, she engaged countries to support the newly-articulated United Nations' "One Health" approach to pandemic threats.  Aequor has promoted the One Health goals since 2008, developing products that curb the spread of AMR pathogens: our water treatments and surface cleaners eliminate the bacterial and fungal threat from the environmental vectors.  Our new drug candidates could eradicate infection in animals and humans.  Every government now embraces the UN One Health goals and Aequor is a member of the Who's Who of One Health.

 In November 2020 -- the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee instructed the FDA for the first time to initiate R&D on biofilm. 

Aequor's approach is disruptive on all levels.  We believe that change manifests when "idea" and "will" align.  When Dr. Fauci himself offered Aequor tangible support (free preclinical trials for new drug candidates), he said he understood the biofilm problem, that the AMR threats were imminent and that he would dedicated the resources of a well-funded U.S. agency behind the development of non-traditional cures. 

When Aequor read about the MIT initiative, we assumed that it is only looking at software-based solutions.  Aequor had long understood that the AMR pandemic threat needed an international, data-driven network in place to save lives.  

From having worked at the State Department, coordinated with the UN, and evaluated WHO guideline gaps, etc. Aequor has unique insights into what is urgently needed to prepare for and address pandemic threats beyond monitoring and surveillance.  For example, every country of the world needs to put in place the following:

--A coordinated pandemic response plan including inventories of masks, hand sanitizer, other PPE,  respirators, etc. that can be mobilized rapidly by trained teams to take the lead to contain an outbreak.  (In the U.S., the DOD has the "lead" on pandemic response because, as we were told, "they have the body bags."  This was evidenced during the Ebola outbreak: Boots on the ground, HAZMAT suits, body bags.)

--A communications plan ready to be activated at all levels via media, email distribution lists, etc. to immediately notify the population, close schools, businesses, etc., impose mandatory stay-at-home orders, mask-wearing, travel bans, identification of essential workers and locations for food distribution, etc.

--Instructions for both medical professionals and citizens to monitor and report outbreaks to a designated location: directly to a central location like a WHO hotline or through local authorities.

--Guidance for healthcare professionals regarding the symptoms to look for (particularly since rapid diagnosis is not possible with biofilm-forming pathogens) and how to file a report. 

--Penalties against healthcare professionals and local authorities for suppressing transparency or failing to report an outbreak to the central hotline within 24 hours.

--Etc.

Aequor has years of experience developing AMR solutions.  MIT Solve can help them be deployed.

Aequor discovered chemicals in the ocean using observation of Nature's remedies to prevent unwanted bacteria from attaching to surfaces.

 Determining the different features of each chemical, concentrations needed, interactions with bacteria and fungi's resistance mechanisms are also low-tech.  

This is low-tech, but critical to saving lives.

Currently, Aequor obtains data through pilot projects.   Aequor develops the work plan and provides consulting, training, and products to the partner.  Remaining in regular contact and exchanging ideas, the participants evaluate results and determine the need to adjust concentrations, etc.

The incentive is to control microbial threats.

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As a Woman-Owned Small Business, Aequor is sensitive to the need for diversity, equity and inclusion in industries that are not.  We follow the virtual business model, and have the opportunity to hire experts wherever they are found and have a track record for including different races, genders and people with disabilities.

For environmental products (cleaners, water treatments), Aequor is selling products B2B and B2G.  NASA was our first customer.

For medical products, Aequor’s main business model is to license the use of selected chemicals to identified leaders in each target sector for rapid product development and market penetration.  Aequor will also sell non-medical chemicals B2B to product formulators in sectors not covered by licenses in Phases as regulatory barriers are overcome. Aequor also projects non-dilutive revenues from the sale of end-use products to government buyers as a Woman-Owned Small Business.

Licensing is desirable to provide rapid end-use product development and launch, particularly of Pharma products, which require lengthly and costly regulatory approvals.   The licensing model mitigates Aequor’s start-up and operational risks and satisfies the following objectives:

• shortening ramp-up time for customer acquisition and lowering expenses for product development and launch into multiple target markets and territories;
• acquiring expertise for prototype development and regulatory, accelerated market penetration, publicity, quality control, customer service, etc.;
• generating early non-dilutive revenues: high up-fronts/advances pegged to market size and territories, royalties, milestone payments as volume targets are hit, and co-branding fees for products containing “Aequor.”  Three potential licensees have offered Aequor up-fronts “in kind” (e.g. undertaking FDA regulatory approvals in their respective territories, a grant-back clause for improvements on formulations, responsibility for patent prosecution, etc.). 

Currently, Aequor seeks equity investments, applies for awards and grants, and undertakes B2B sales to pilot project partners, including government agencies.  

Aequor seeks $1 million equity funding to close out its Series Seed and bridge to the launch of a $20M Series A.  The bridge funds will be used to expand sales in the EPA/TSCA markets (the beachhead).  For commercializing Aequor's EPA/TSCA-approved products, Aequor has assembled a commissioned sales force that project aggressive sales in Q4 2022 as potential customers have returned to full operations.  Grants and a government contract will cover pilot projects and lead to procurement contracts.  Series A funding is earmarked to expand the management team, initiate EPA/FIFRA approval on select chemicals in order to make antimicrobial/antibiofilm/antifouling claims for our current ingredients and formulated products, expand the lab staff and outside contractors to develop sufficient quantities of the new drug candidates to initiate the NIH and DOD pre-clinical trials

Since 2008, Aequor Inc. raised $1.35 M in cash from family and 4 angels. One VC recently took a convertible note.

Aequor has not won U.S. grants.  Most of Aequor's traction has been in the form of validation testing of its EPA/TSCA-approved chemicals against biofilm-forming pathogens found in agro-industrial verticals. The data derived from this testing is valued between $2 and 8 million. USDA validated the superior performance of Aequor's chemicals in surface cleaners.  DOE validated the use of Aequor's chemicals to replace biocides and antibiotics in biofuel production from algae and yeast biomass, increasing yields by up to 40% in half the time. NASA was Aequor's first customer, paying for Aequor chemicals used to remove bacteria and biofilm the water recycling/reuse system used on board the International Space Station (ISS). NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab is currently sending samples of biofilm-forming bacteria found on surfaces on board the ISS to Aequor for biofilm-removal testing.  NASA has tentatively scheduled the launch of another Aequor experiment to the ISS in Fall 2022 to measure performance in microgravity and Aequor is exploring partnering opportunities with some of the Space flight centers.  Projects with the Department of Energy (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and Sandia National Lab dealt with bacterial and fungal control in systems used to produce biomass for conversion into biofuels. The DOE National Energy Research Lab asked for quote for 3 tons of our product per month to remediate contamination in algae cultivation open ponds.

Aequor concluded pilot projects with several multinationals (names withheld due to confidentiality agreements) and is currently conducting projects with an oil and gas company (remediating bacterial contamination in oil field water), cleanroom, and others.

In late 2021 Aequor signed a contract with the EPA to remediate Legionella biofilm from hospital plumbing and a contract with the Air Force to remediate biofilm clogging of the filtration media used in plants used to capture PFAS and other toxic chemicals from ground water sources.  The Phase II Air Force contract includes working with Air Force Bases in their various treatment facilities and applying for matching funds for Phase II procurement contracts.  Other projects with the Air Force could include surface cleaning and disinfection product development.

In 2015, Aequor’s Founders established Aequor Ltd. in the UK in order to be eligible to apply for EU funding which, unlike U.S. grants, could be used for chemical scale-up, patenting, regulatory approvals, etc.  Aequor Ltd won a Phase I EU Horizon 2020 grant in the BioMed category but missed winning the Phase II grant (because of Brexit. The EU has recently invited Aequor Ltd to rejoin several of its projects (e.g. Chem4EU, GHG badge, etc.).