Gates Foundation Funds Bondi Bio’s Cyanobacteria-Based Malaria Treatment Innovations

Bondi Bio receives grant from the Gates Foundation to accelerate cyanobacteria-powered biologics for malaria and other global health threats

Bondi Bio Pty Ltd, a Sydney-based biotechnology company, today announced it has been awarded a US$718,000 grant (about AU$1.1m) from the Gates Foundation through its Global Grand Challenges initiative. The funding will support the development of low-cost monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, using Bondi’s proprietary cyanobacteria-based biomanufacturing platform.

Malaria remains one of the world’s deadliest diseases, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The World Health Organization estimated that in 2023 there were 263 million malaria cases, and 597,000 deaths, across 83 endemic countries. More than 74% of these deaths were children under five.

“We are living through a turbulent period, with geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty drawing focus away from urgent environmental and humanitarian challenges,” said Eddie O’Brien, Founder and CEO of Bondi Bio. “That’s why our cyanobacterial biomanufacturing platform is so impactful. The work we are undertaking on mAbs is a critical step in the regions that need it most, but this is just the beginning.”

Monoclonal antibodies are among the most precise and effective treatments available today, used to treat conditions ranging from infectious diseases to cancer and autoimmune disorders. However, their high production costs limit access in LMICs, which is the challenge Bondi Bio aims to overcome.

The grant will accelerate development of Bondi Bio’s scalable platform for producing high-yield, low-cost monoclonal antibodies using food-grade, engineered cyanobacteria. Antibody production is just one part of a broader pipeline at Bondi Bio, which includes a suite of biologics (such as vaccines, protein-based drugs and antibodies) designed for distributed and point-of-care manufacturing offering practical, accessible solutions for healthcare systems with limited capital expenditure.

Focusing initially on malaria, the project aims to expand global access to biologic therapies and deliver affordable, effective treatments to the populations that need them most.