A new approach to antimicrobial resistance and environmental risk

Antimicrobials sit quietly behind much of modern life. They are used in hospitals and clinics, but also in everyday products such as disinfectants, cosmetics and preservatives. Their success, however, has created a growing problem.

Overuse and misuse of existing antimicrobials have accelerated antimicrobial resistance, while the pace of new antibiotic discovery has slowed. At the same time, many commonly used antimicrobial compounds persist in the environment long after use. Some build up in soil and waterways, affecting plants, aquatic life and microbes in ways that are still being understood.

Quaternary ammonium compounds, or QACs, are a case in point. Widely used for their broad-spectrum activity against bacteria, viruses and fungi, they are effective but problematic. Their chemical properties allow them to persist in the environment, where they are now considered a concerning class of micropollutants. They are associated with toxicity to freshwater and marine organisms and may also contribute to the spread of antimicrobial resistance. In humans, exposure has been linked to skin irritation, respiratory effects and other health concerns, with children experiencing significantly higher exposure than adults.

A recent World Health Organization report has reinforced the urgency of this issue, identifying antimicrobial resistance as a growing global health threat and highlighting the need for new approaches that work across human health, industry and the environment.

A chemistry-led rethink

OleQuat began as a research collaboration between chemist Alan Cameron and microbiologist Kristi Biswas, who had worked together for several years developing and testing new antimicrobial compounds. Cameron’s lab had developed a new ‘green chemistry’ method for making QACs, initially attracting interest because of their improved biodegradation.

When Biswas and her team began testing these compounds more deeply, they uncovered something more. Some showed strong antimicrobial activity alongside markedly reduced toxicity compared with standard QACs.

“That discovery really gave the project its commercial legs,” Cameron says. “It suggested we could deliver a real step change in this space.”

OleQuat’s focus is now on a new class of olefinic quaternary ammonium compounds designed to retain antimicrobial effectiveness while reducing environmental persistence and toxicity. The team is testing these compounds against a wide range of pathogens while also examining how easily resistance develops, how stable the compounds are in formulations, and how they behave once released into the environment.

Finding a pathway beyond the lab

The science alone was not enough to move OleQuat forward. Biswas joined the University’s Research to Innovation Hatchery programme at the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, where the team met Craig Squire, who later became a director of the company.

“Having spent most of my adult life in academia, the concept of market research was initially unfamiliar and somewhat daunting,” Biswas says. “The Hatchery programme made this transition feel natural and accessible.”

Through the programme, the team began testing assumptions about where their technology might fit, balancing highly regulated medical applications with faster-to-market uses such as preservatives in over-the-counter products and disinfectants. This market-led approach now shapes both their research priorities and commercial roadmap.

Squire says the work is deliberately structured around evidence. “Our goal is to convert early capital into data that proves demand, meets regulatory expectations and supports future licensing and investment decisions.”

Lessons from the transition

For the founders, the journey has involved learning to navigate patents, regulation and commercial uncertainty alongside ongoing research. Support from UniServices, patent specialists, Return on Science and the Hatchery mentor network proved critical.

“Surround yourself with experts willing to have frank, constructive conversations,” Biswas advises other researchers. “And give it a go.”

Cameron agrees, noting that commercialisation is rarely linear. “Going from IP to a company was a huge unknown. The structure and challenge provided through CIE helped turn that uncertainty into progress.”

OleQuat’s next milestones are both scientific and strategic. Further testing will refine understanding of efficacy, toxicity, scale-up and cost. In parallel, the team is validating early markets and building the data needed to support partnerships and licensing.

They are realistic about the challenge ahead but motivated by its importance. As Squire puts it, “We’re focused on solving a real problem, and one worth solving.”