Two Filipino scientists who built research careers in the United States are helping position Iloilo as an emerging center for drug discovery, turning the region’s marine biodiversity into patented antibiotics and commercial health products.
In 2015, Dr. Jonel Saludes and Dr. Doralyn Dalisay returned to the University of San Agustin (USA) in Iloilo, betting that world-class pharmaceutical research could be developed outside traditional global hubs. Their work builds on a little-known historical link: soil samples from Iloilo contributed to the discovery of erythromycin more than 70 years ago, though the breakthrough was developed abroad.
“Historically, erythromycin came from Iloilo, but it was developed overseas,” said Dr. Dalisay. “Today, Filipinos are leading the science and making discoveries at home.”
Supported by the Department of Science and Technology’s Tuklas Lunas Program, the researchers began exploring marine sediments across the Philippine archipelago, from Batanes to the Sulu Sea and southern Mindanao. Their efforts led to the discovery of Streptomyces carlesensis, a salt-tolerant marine bacterium isolated from deep-sea sediments in the Visayan Sea that shows strong activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
The discovery resulted in the University of San Agustin’s first Philippine patent, covering methods for culturing and extracting antimicrobial compounds. Several natural products derived from the strain are now in the patent pipeline, including candidates with potential oncology applications.
Research capabilities were significantly strengthened in 2022 with the establishment of the first Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) laboratory in the Visayas under the Tuklas Lunas Program, reducing costs and turnaround time for compound identification.
The university has also built a biobank of more than 3,000 marine sediment specimens, creating a long-term resource for pharmaceutical research and development.
Beyond discovery, USA has focused on commercialization through its Innovation and Technology Support Office (ITSO). Through partnerships with Pharma GalenX Innovations, Inc., university-developed technologies have been translated into market-ready products, including skincare and wound-care solutions derived from natural compounds.
Established in 2018, the USA ITSO operates under the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines’ national program and has received multiple IPOPHL recognitions for patent filing, technology transfer, and intellectual property management.
Today, the University of San Agustin is one of fewer than 30 Tuklas Lunas Centers nationwide, reinforcing Iloilo’s role as a regional hub for natural medicine and drug discovery and highlighting how innovation-led growth can be built from Philippine shores.