Immunotherapy company Centauri Therapeutics has extended its Series A financing to £30 million ($40.6 million) to support its lead candidate targeting Gram-negative bacterial infections. 

The funding was extended thanks to a £6m ($8.1 million) investment from the AMR Action Fund. The financing from AMR Action Fund, the world’s largest venture capital fund dedicated exclusively to investing in urgently needed antimicrobial therapeutics and diagnostics, will allow Centauri to advance its lead candidate through a Phase I clinical trial, obtaining key safety data necessary to inform ongoing development. 

CTX-187 is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial designed to treat clinically prevalent and multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, expanding therapeutic options for vulnerable patients. It features a dual mechanism-of-action that combines immunotherapeutic effects through complement activation and opsonophagocytosis with intrinsic antibacterial activity. 

“We are extremely pleased to welcome the AMR Action Fund as a new investor,” said Dr Jennifer Schneider, Chief Executive Officer, Centauri Therapeutics. 

“Their dedication to advancing the field of antimicrobials further reinforces our belief in the Alphamer platform as a transformative immunotherapeutic approach for addressing infections.  

“This latest investment has enabled us a clear path to progress CTX-187 beyond Phase I trials and onto the development of a Phase II-ready asset. I would like to thank the AMR Action Fund, as well as all of our existing investors and collaborators, for their support.”