smartbax secures additional financing to advance lead antibiotic program to IND filing

Munich, Germany, June 30, 2026 – smartbax, a biotech company developing next-generation antibiotics against multi-drug resistant bacteria, today announced the successful second closing of its Pre-Series A financing round. The additional investment from a Frankfurt-based single family office increases the total size of the round to €6.3 M. In addition to the new investor, smartbax is supported by a strong investor syndicate comprising Anobis Asset, Bayern Kapital, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF), HTGF – High-Tech Gründerfonds, and UnternehmerTUM Funding for Innovators.

These proceeds will enable smartbax to advance its lead antibacterial program, recently in-licensed from Aicuris, through preclinical development and IND filing. The small-molecule antibiotic targets a previously unexploited step in the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), a key structural component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. The program has already demonstrated in vivo proof of concept, including activity against multi-drug resistant pathogens, and has shown potential for oral bioavailability.

In parallel, smartbax will continue to advance its proprietary pipeline of small-molecule antibiotics. This includes two activator programs that stimulate bacterial hydrolases, triggering bacterial self-digestion through a novel mechanism of action. The programs target both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens and have demonstrated promising drug-like properties, biofilm eradication activity and no observed resistance development to date.

Dr. Robert Macsics, CEO of smartbax, said: “This second closing provides the resources to advance our lead program through IND filing, which will mark an important step in the maturation of our pipeline. At the same time, we continue to invest in our proprietary enzymatic activators, which represent a fundamentally different approach to combating bacterial infections. Together, these programs support our mission to address the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance.”

About smartbax

smartbax is developing a new generation of antibiotics to address the increasing spread of multi-drug resistant bacteria. Their team of experts is advancing a complementary pipeline of small molecules against novel bacterial targets and with innovative modes of action to prevent resistance. Their lead program is a new inhibitor of lipopolysaccharide synthesis in Gram-negative bacteria. Moreover, the company specializes in the tailored activation of enzymatic pathways that trigger bacterial self-digestion, as this approach is particularly promising in the context of difficult-to-treat biofilms. Two activators are in development, targeting both Gram-positive bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria individually.

Knowing that preventing a resistance crisis tomorrow means taking action today, smartbax was founded in 2021 as a spin-off of the Technical University Munich (TUM) with the aim of making innovative research applicable in creating novel antibiotics that add true value for patients worldwide. smartbax is supported by a strong consortium of investors, including Family Offices, such as Anobis Asset, Bayern Kapital, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF), HTGF – High-Tech Gründerfonds, and UnternehmerTUM Funding for Innovators.

For more information visit our website: https://www.smartbax.de/

Media contact:
Dr. Regina Lutz, Katja Arnold
MC Services AG
smartbax@mc-services.eu