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Targeted
Bacteriophage
Therapeutics
for the AMR Era

Tackling antimicrobial resistance with AI-driven, biologically validated phage solutions.

Who We Are

Meet the Founders

Dr. Leonardo van Zyl

PhD – Biotechnology
Co-founder & Chief Technical and Scientific Officer (CTO/CSO)

Dr. Naadira Vanker

MBChB, MBA
Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Leonardo (Lonnie) is a seasoned microbiologist and biotechnologist whose work bridges fundamental research and applied innovation. His academic journey spans more than two decades, beginning with a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in biochemistry and microbiology, followed by a Ph.D. focused on developing thermophilic microorganisms as biofuel production platforms, including the engineering of phage resistance.

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His research expertise encompasses phage biology, microbial genomics, metagenomics, enzyme characterization, and metabolic engineering, with recent work exploring bioactive molecules from marine bacteria, including biosurfactants.

Lonnie has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed publications and holds an h-index of 24 (Google Scholar) and 18 (Scopus). His multidisciplinary background across biotechnology and environmental microbiology underpins B-Phage’s scientific and technical vision.

Naadira is a clinician-scientist and biotech entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience across the healthcare ecosystem, spanning clinical medicine, diagnostics, laboratory research, clinical trials, and operational leadership. She holds a business degree (MBA) and a medical degree (MBChB), with postgraduate training in clinical pathology.

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She brings a systems-thinking approach to health innovation, shaped by her work in diverse environments, leading cross-functional teams, and translating research into real-world impact.

Driven by a deep commitment to global health, Naadira is particularly focused on the urgent challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Having witnessed its effects first-hand in both clinical and laboratory environments, and the steep hurdles in developing effective new antibiotics, she is uniquely positioned to guide the development of targeted bacteriophage therapeutics.

Who We Are

Meet the Founders

Dr. Leonardo van Zyl

PhD – Biotechnology
Co-founder & Chief Technical and Scientific Officer (CTO/CSO)

Leonardo (Lonnie) is a seasoned microbiologist and biotechnologist whose work bridges fundamental research and applied innovation. His academic journey spans more than two decades, beginning with a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in biochemistry and microbiology, followed by a Ph.D. focused on developing thermophilic microorganisms as biofuel production platforms, including the engineering of phage resistance.

Read More

His research expertise encompasses phage biology, microbial genomics, metagenomics, enzyme characterization, and metabolic engineering, with recent work exploring bioactive molecules from marine bacteria, including biosurfactants.

Lonnie has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed publications and holds an h-index of 24 (Google Scholar) and 18 (Scopus). His multidisciplinary background across biotechnology and environmental microbiology underpins B-Phage’s scientific and technical vision.

Dr. Naadira Vanker

MBChB, MBA
Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Naadira is a clinician-scientist and biotech entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience across the healthcare ecosystem, spanning clinical medicine, diagnostics, laboratory research, clinical trials, and operational leadership. She holds a business degree (MBA) and a medical degree (MBChB), with postgraduate training in clinical pathology.

Read More

She brings a systems-thinking approach to health innovation, shaped by her work in diverse environments, leading cross-functional teams, and translating research into real-world impact.

Driven by a deep commitment to global health, Naadira is particularly focused on the urgent challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Having witnessed its effects first-hand in both clinical and laboratory environments, and the steep hurdles in developing effective new antibiotics, she is uniquely positioned to guide the development of targeted bacteriophage therapeutics.

The AMR Crisis

The Rising Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance

Drug-resistant infections are projected to kill 10 million people annually by 2050. B-Phage is delivering targeted, next-generation bacteriophage therapeutics to combat this global health emergency.

Our approach

Scalable,
Targeted,
Data-driven

Combining biology and machine learning to engineer life-saving therapeutics.

B-PhageBank™ Biorepository

A growing library of bacteriophages and clinical bacteria, curated for priority pathogens like drug-resistant E. coli and ESKAPE organisms.

AlphaPhage™ Platform

AI-powered engine matching phages to bacteria using genomic and phenotypic data, slashing discovery time.

Therapeutic Pipeline

Lead program: phages for drug-resistant E. coli UTIs. More in development for other critical infections.

Our process

From Discovery to Cure

Sample Collection

Phage Isolation & Characterisation

Data Integration into AlphaPhage™

AI-driven Phage Cocktail Design

Preclinical & Clinical Testing

Therapeutic Deployment

Why B-Phage?

  • Exclusive B-PhageBank™ targeting AMR hotspots
  • AlphaPhage™ AI-powered prediction engine
  • Rapid, scalable therapeutic platform
  • Leveraging African biodiversity, blending biotech & data science

Join the Fight Against AMR

We’re looking for mission-aligned investors, researchers, and public health partners. Let’s shape the future of global health together.

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