Smartbax Secures Additional Financing for Antibiotic Program

Smartbax, a biotech firm based in Munich, Germany, has announced a second closing of its Pre-Series A financing round, raising the total to €6.3 million. Key investors include a Frankfurt-based single family office, Anobis Asset, Bayern Kapital, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF), HTGF, and UnternehmerTUM Funding for Innovators.

This funding will propel Smartbax's leading antibacterial program, licensed from Aicuris, through preclinical development and IND filing. The program targets lipopolysaccharides (LPS) biosynthesis in Gram-negative bacteria, showing in vivo proof of concept and potential for oral bioavailability.

Furthermore, Smartbax will advance its pipeline of small-molecule antibiotics, featuring two activator programs that stimulate bacterial enzymes, promoting self-digestion. These programs target both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, demonstrating promising properties and no resistance development.