Telum Therapeutics Secures €18 Million Series A to Advance Novel Antimicrobial Against Acinetobacter baumannii
Key Insights
Telum Therapeutics (search) completed an €18 million Series A financing led by AMR Action Fund (search) with participation from Inveready (search) and existing investors.
The funding will advance the company's lead program targeting hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia caused by multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (search) through Phase 1 clinical development.
Telum's APEX® platform leverages metagenomic datasets, synthetic biology, and generative AI to develop protein-based antimicrobial therapeutics against Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens.
Telum Therapeutics (search), a Spanish biotechnology company leveraging proprietary metagenomic datasets, synthetic biology, and generative AI to develop novel antimicrobial therapies, has announced the successful completion of an €18 million Series A financing. The funding will propel the company's lead program targeting hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia (HABP) and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (VABP) caused by Acinetobacter baumannii (search) through Phase 1 clinical development.
The AMR Action Fund (search), the world's largest venture capital fund dedicated exclusively to investing in urgently needed antimicrobial therapeutics and diagnostics, led the financing round. New investor Inveready (search) joined the round, alongside continued support from existing investors Invivo Partners (search), CDTI (search) with its SICC Innvierte, Clave Capital (search), and Sodena (search).
Addressing a Critical Unmet Need
Acinetobacter baumannii (search), a multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogen, represents one of the most formidable bacterial threats in modern medicine. The pathogen is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients worldwide and is frequently resistant to first-line therapies.
"Acinetobacter baumannii (search) is one of the most formidable bacterial threats in modern medicine. It is clinically challenging, often resistant to first-line therapies, and a pathogen for which progress has been slow and difficult to achieve," said Dr. Henry Skinner, Chief Executive Officer of the AMR Action Fund (search). "We are encouraged by Telum's novel approach and pleased to support the team as they work to bring forward a new treatment option for patients with life-threatening infections."
The APEX® Platform and Lead Program
Telum's lead program is built on the company's proprietary APEX® platform, which enables the discovery and development of biologically derived, protein-based antimicrobial candidates. These therapeutics have the potential to overcome key limitations of existing antibiotic approaches and expand treatment options for patients facing life-threatening infections.
The investment from AMR Action Fund (search) brings not only capital but also deep domain expertise in antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The fund's support will enable Telum to generate critical safety and translational data to support subsequent stages of clinical evaluation.
"This financing provides a clear path to complete Phase 1 development of our lead program targeting Acinetobacter baumannii (search) HABP/VABP, while also enabling us to advance our broader pipeline addressing both Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens," said Dr. Subhendu Basu, Chief Executive Officer of Telum Therapeutics (search).
Investor Confidence and Strategic Validation
Dr. Laura Rodríguez, Partner at Invivo and Board member at Telum, emphasized the significance of the financing: "Having supported Telum since its earliest stages, we are delighted to welcome AMR Action Fund (search) as lead investor in this financing. Their participation is a strong validation of the progress achieved by the Company, the quality of its science, and the commitment of the team to tackling antimicrobial resistance."
Dr. Roberto Díez, Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Telum Therapeutics (search), added: "Telum was founded with the vision of developing a new generation of antimicrobial therapies capable of combating some of the world's most dangerous drug-resistant pathogens. This financing marks an important milestone for the Company and reflects the strength of our scientific platform, the progress of our lead program, and the growing recognition that innovative solutions are urgently needed to address the global threat of antimicrobial resistance."
A Broader European Biotech Momentum
The financing brings together international and Spanish life sciences investors, technology-focused investment funds, and public institutions committed to supporting innovation in healthcare. It also highlights the important role of Navarra's innovation ecosystem in fostering the development of science-driven companies with global ambition.
Founded in 2019, Telum Therapeutics (search) is dedicated to developing innovative antimicrobial therapies for the treatment of severe multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, with its lead program focused on HABP and VABP caused by Acinetobacter baumannii (search).