Telum Therapeutics secures €18 million Series A to tackle drug-resistant hospital pneumonia
The biotech's APEX® platform produces protein-based antimicrobials targeting HABP and VABP caused by Acinetobacter baumannii
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Telum Therapeutics, a biotechnology company leveraging proprietary metagenomic datasets, synthetic biology and generative AI to develop novel antimicrobial therapies, announced the successful completion of an €18 million Series A financing to advance its lead program targeting hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia (HABP) and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (VABP) caused by Acinetobacter baumannii.
AMR Action Fund led the financing round, with participation from new investor Inveready and continued support from existing investors Invivo Partners, CDTI with its SICC Innvierte, Clave Capital and Sodena.
The investment from AMR Action Fund, the world’s largest venture capital fund dedicated exclusively to investing in urgently needed antimicrobial therapeutics and diagnostics, brings not only capital, but also deep domain expertise in antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The Fund’s support will enable Telum to advance its lead candidate through Phase 1 clinical development, generating critical safety and translational data to support subsequent stages of clinical evaluation.
Telum’s lead program is designed to address severe infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii, a multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogen associated with significant morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients worldwide. Built on the Company’s proprietary APEX® platform, Telum is developing biologically derived, protein-based antimicrobial therapeutics with the potential to overcome key limitations of existing antibiotic approaches and expand treatment options for patients facing life-threatening infections.
Dr. Henry Skinner, Chief Executive Officer of the AMR Action Fund, commented: “Acinetobacter baumannii 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 di\icult to achieve. 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.”
Dr. Subhendu Basu, Chief Executive Officer of Telum Therapeutics, said: “We are delighted to welcome AMR Action Fund and Inveready as new investors in Telum. AMR Action Fund’s dedicated focus and deep expertise in antimicrobial resistance, together with the continued support of Invivo Partners, Clave Capital, CDTI-Innvierte and Sodena, reinforces our confidence in the potential of the APEX® platform to generate a new class of antimicrobial therapies for di\icult-to-treat infections. This financing provides a clear path to complete Phase 1 development of our lead program targeting Acinetobacter baumannii HABP/VABP, while also enabling us to advance our broader pipeline addressing both Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens.”
Dr. Laura Rodríguez, Partner at Invivo and Board member at Telum, commented: “Having supported Telum since its earliest stages, we are delighted to welcome AMR Action Fund 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. We believe this round marks a defining milestone in Telum’s evolution, reinforcing its position within the global antimicrobial innovation ecosystem and equipping the Company with the resources, expertise and support needed to advance into the clinic.”
Dr. Roberto Díez, Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Telum Therapeutics, 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.”
This 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.
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