Faster diagnostics for infected hip and knee prostheses can make the difference between recovery and months of debilitating treatment. Sabiad is developing technology that makes bacterial infections visible and, in the future, may even enable their targeted destruction. “With implant infections, everything revolves around time,” says Saskia van den Dool, co-founder and COO of Sabiad. “Once a biofilm forms on the implant, the chances of successful treatment rapidly decrease.”
Bacterial infections around joint implants are among the most persistent complications in orthopedics. Every year, thousands of patients develop infections following hip or knee surgery—conditions that are difficult to diagnose and even harder to treat.
Sabiad, a spin-off from the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) building on the research of Prof. Dr. Jan Maarten van Dijl, aims to change this. The company is developing innovative diagnostic and therapeutic applications based on one core technology: an antibody that binds with extremely high specificity to Staphylococcus aureus, one of the main causes of implant infections. In early 2026, the company relocated from Friesland to the Healthy Ageing Campus in Groningen.
From Oncology to Infectious Diseases
Sabiad’s roots partly lie in oncology. Co-founder Ton van den Hoven was previously involved in SurgVision, a successful UMCG spin-off that used fluorescent tracers to visualize tumor margins during surgery. “In oncology, tracer technology has taken off enormously in recent years,” says Van den Dool. “What we are doing is translating that concept to bacterial imaging.”
Personal experience also played a role. A few years ago, Van den Hoven survived a severe bacterial infection that resulted in ten days in intensive care and months of hospitalization. “Then you truly understand how life-threatening and disruptive such an infection can be,” Van den Dool says. “That sense of urgency is deeply embedded in this company.”
Gaining Time Is Crucial
The core problem with implant infections is time. Current standard diagnostics rely on bacterial cultures, which take two to five days. During that period, patients are often already treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, without knowing exactly which bacterium is responsible. “And it’s precisely in those first days that a biofilm can develop,” Van den Dool explains. “After four or five days, the chance of success is already significantly lower.”
Sabiad is therefore developing a diagnostic test based on joint fluid (synovial fluid) that is performed outside the body. “You can compare it to a COVID test,” Van den Dool explains. “You take a small sample of fluid, mix it with our test, and get a rapid answer. That allows you to win those crucial days.”
This so-called ex vivo test has a relatively short regulatory pathway and, according to current planning, could reach the market around 2028–2029.
Imaging and Therapy
In addition, Sabiad is working on a tracer that can be administered directly to the patient. This tracer binds specifically to Staphylococcus aureus and makes the bacteria visible during imaging. “If you can make something visible, you can in principle also attach something to it,” says Van den Dool. “For example, a therapeutic component.”
Preclinical research shows that the same antibody technology can be used to selectively destroy bacteria, for instance via photodynamic therapy (targeted killing of bacteria using light) or radioactive isotopes (elements that emit radiation, used for diagnosis or treatment). This trajectory is still at an early stage and requires lengthy clinical studies. Commercial application is therefore not expected until the next decade.
International Interest
Interest from the medical community is strong, Van den Dool notes. In the Northern Netherlands, Sabiad collaborates with the Northern Infection Network for Joint Arthroplasty (NINJA), a consortium of top clinical hospitals working together on joint infections. Internationally, the company is also gaining traction, with preclinical collaborations including UCLA and recent discussions with major U.S. hospitals.
“This problem exists everywhere,” Van den Dool says. “We are aging, we receive more implants, and antibiotic resistance is increasing. Everyone in healthcare sees that this situation is not sustainable.”
Close to the Ecosystem
Sabiad’s choice for the Healthy Ageing Campus in Groningen, directly opposite UMCG, was a deliberate one, according to Van den Dool. “Our clinical studies, microbiological expertise, and orthopedic collaborations are all here. Then you want to be physically close. That’s why the first phase-zero study will start this year at UMCG, under the supervision of Professor Paul Jutten from Orthopedics,” Van den Dool explains.
Within five to ten years, Sabiad expects to become part of a larger medtech or pharmaceutical company. “Our role is to bring the technology through phase two clinical trials,” says Van den Dool. “After that, scale is needed to truly deliver this innovation to patients worldwide.”
The societal impact could be significant: fewer revision surgeries, faster recovery, lower healthcare costs, and more targeted use of antibiotics. “Everyone knows someone with an infected prosthesis,” Van den Dool says. “If we can contribute to a faster, better approach, then we are truly making a difference.”
Article: Campus Groningen (author Marlies Schipperheijn)
Photo: Saskia van den Dool
