24 February 2025

LiU-researcher Frank Hernandez has received a grant for his research in designing antibiotics that can be administered with precision. It is one of 23 approved grants by The Swedish Research Council (VR) that focuses on antimicrobial resistance.

Frank Hernandez, Baris Borsa, Anna Carolina Lenhart
Frank Hernandez, Baris Borsa, Anna Carolina Lenhart

His project is developing a new class of drugs based on precision medicine principles. These drugs are designed to target specific organs or tissues, enhancing therapeutic efficacy while minimizing side effects.
“The technology can be used to treat localized infections, such as skin and soft tissue infections, osteomyelitis, endocarditis, and pneumonia, says Frank Hernandez”

The goal is to complete the preclinical phase for an experimental antibiotic and initiate first-in-human studies to bring this innovative technology closer to clinical use.
"This project represents the second phase of our TOUCAN platform development."

TOUCAN Technology, a company co-founded by Frank Hernandez and soon transferred to Theralia AB, integrates conventional drugs with a nano-transport system for targeted delivery. Like a GPS it identifies bacterial infections within the body, delivering treatment with high precision, efficacy, and minimal side effects.
“The nano-transport is a short nucleic acid (e.g., DNA) carrying the drug. It remains inactive in the blood and only activates upon detecting a bacterial infection, releasing the drug to kill bacteria. This makes the drug harmless and safer for other parts of the body. In short, the drug works only where it's needed.”

Although demonstrated in bacterial infections, this approach has potential applications for treating conditions such as cancer and autoimmune diseases.
“The ultimate goal of this project is to begin the validation of TOUCAN technology in human clinical trials through the development of the first targeted antibiotics. Once the pre-clinical phase is completed, we will validate the safety features of the TOUCAN technology in humans, followed by its application in treating infections using this technology”, says Frank Hernandez.


Contact

Latest news from LiU

Professor Maria Brandén.

Sociologist by chance

Sociologist Maria Brandén studies society from a bird’s eye perspective. As head of the Institute for Analytical Sociology at Linköping University, she wants to create research that influences important political decisions.

Two portraits.

New Wallenberg Academy Fellows researching 6G and AI

LiU researchers Jendrik Seipp and Zheng Chen have been appointed as new Wallenberg Academy Fellows. The funding gives promising researchers the opportunity to tackle challenging research questions that require a long-term approach.

Woman looking up from working at her computer.

New research centre meets challenge of longer working lives

More and more people are working later into their lives – but what happens when health fails and this leads to sick leave? A new research centre at LiU is to find solutions for returning to work later in life and for a sustainable working life.