Smartbax has successfully raised €4.7 million in its pre-Series A financing round. The round is led by Bayern Kapital and Anobis Asset. UnternehmerTUM Funding for Innovators and existing investors High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) and Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF) are also participating. A second tranche of this financing round remains open to new investors.
The fresh capital will be used to further develop the drug pipeline, which targets new antibiotics. Smartbax develops small-molecule Antibiotics with innovative mechanisms of action to overcome resistance. A promising drug candidate exploits a new target in the outer membrane of certain bacteria. In vivo efficacy has already been confirmed in intravenous administration – in addition, it exhibits broad activity against multidrug-resistant bacterial strains and a low tendency toward resistance development. The candidate is currently progressing into preclinical development.
In parallel, Smartbax is advancing a platform for small-molecule enzyme activators. These stimulate bacterial hydrolases, causing bacteria to degrade themselves. This approach differs significantly from traditional antibiotics and offers new possibilities in the fight against resistance.
"Small-molecule antibiotics remain one of the most effective tools in the fight against the rapidly growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Smartbax is currently the only German biotech company dedicated exclusively to the development of this crucial class of drugs. We are proud to advance complementary approaches, both with a classic inhibitor against a novel target and with enzyme activators that utilize a completely new mechanism of action in the field of antibiotics,"
explained Robert Macsics, CEO of Smartbax, and adds:
"Our programs focus on WHO priority pathogens and aim to create new treatment options for critically ill patients who currently have limited options. We are very pleased to have this strong investor consortium that shares our commitment and will work with us to address this urgent public health threat."
Broad investor commitment to Smartbax
Investors also see great potential in the Biotech. Monika Steger, Managing Director of Bayern Kapital, says:
"The increasing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics is placing enormous strains on global healthcare. Smartbax is addressing this problem with two novel drug approaches that already show great potential at their current stage. At the same time, the market for new antibiotics opens up a highly attractive growth area with significant economic opportunities. A stake in Smartbax is not only a promising investment in the local biotech ecosystem and the resilience of our healthcare system. The investment also strengthens the European Union's technological sovereignty in key technologies such as biotechnology, in line with the STEP objectives."
Martin Falk, Managing Director of Anobis Asset, says:
"Antibiotic resistance is one of the most pressing medical challenges of our time, and there is a clear need for new therapeutic approaches. In Germany alone, almost 10,000 people die each year directly from infections with multidrug-resistant bacteria; many more require hospitalization and often face a lengthy recovery. We are proud to support a team developing solutions that could help patients and protect public health worldwide."
Inga vom Holtz, Director Investments of UnternehmerTUM Funding for Innovators, adds:
"Smartbax has evolved from akademi's research into a biotech company with a clear focus on antibiotic innovations. We are pleased to support this financing round and support a team advancing both classic inhibitors and entirely new antibacterial mechanisms of action using enzyme activators. We are proud that these innovations originated at the Technical University of Munich."
