smartbax announces a €4.7 M Pre-Series A round to advance novel antibiotic compound through preclinical stage

Core Insights - smartbax, a biotech company focused on developing next-generation antibiotics, has successfully closed its €4.7 million Pre-Series A financing round, led by Anobis Asset and Bayern Kapital, with participation from other investors [1][2][4] Company Overview - smartbax is dedicated to creating innovative antibiotics to combat multi-drug resistant bacteria, with a proprietary pipeline of small-molecule antibiotics that utilize novel mechanisms of action [2][7] - The lead candidate is an inhibitor targeting lipopolysaccharide synthesis in Gram-negative bacteria, which has shown in vivo proof of concept against multi-drug resistant strains [2][6] - The company is also developing small-molecule activators that stimulate bacterial hydrolases, promoting self-digestion of bacteria, which represents a new approach in antibiotic development [3][7] Investment and Market Context - The financing round aims to support the advancement of smartbax's antibiotic pipeline, which addresses WHO priority pathogens and aims to provide new treatment options for critically ill patients [4][6] - The investment reflects a growing recognition of the urgent need for new therapeutic approaches to combat antibiotic resistance, which is a significant public health challenge [4][5] - Investors see potential economic opportunities in the market for new antibiotics, which is becoming increasingly attractive due to rising bacterial resistance [4][9]