San Francisco, CA – [Insert Date] – Trellis Bioscience, a pioneering biotechnology company dedicated to combating antibiotic-resistant infections, today announced the successful closure of a $9 million Series C funding round. This significant investment will fuel the completion of its pivotal Phase II clinical trial for calpurbatug (TRL1068), a groundbreaking monoclonal antibody candidate designed to address chronic prosthetic joint infections (PJI). The new capital infusion propels Trellis Bioscience’s total equity funding to approximately $35 million, underscoring strong investor confidence in the company’s innovative approach to a critical unmet medical need.
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The ongoing Phase II trial, a cornerstone of Trellis’s development program, is being conducted as part of a comprehensive debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention (DAIR) strategy and has achieved full enrollment. This milestone signifies robust patient interest and the successful recruitment of participants for this crucial study. Top-line results from the trial are anticipated in the second quarter of 2027, a date eagerly awaited by the medical community and patients suffering from PJI.
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A Chronology of Progress and Investment
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Trellis Bioscience’s journey toward developing calpurbatug has been marked by steady scientific progress and strategic financial backing. The company’s commitment to tackling antibiotic resistance, a growing global health crisis, has resonated with a diverse group of investors.
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The Series C funding round saw continued strong support from existing investors, including New Science Ventures and Easton Capital. Their renewed commitment reflects their deep understanding of the company’s potential and their belief in the transformative impact of calpurbatug. Furthermore, the round welcomed new strategic investors, signaling broadening confidence in Trellis’s mission. Key among these new investors is the AMR Action Fund (AMRAF), a prominent global alliance dedicated to investing in innovative solutions for antibiotic resistance. The participation of The Doctor Group of Dallas, Texas, and a consortium of highly specialized orthopedic surgeons across the United States further validates the clinical relevance and potential of calpurbatug in the PJI space.
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This $9 million equity infusion brings Trellis Bioscience’s total equity funding to nearly $35 million. This substantial capital has been strategically complemented by non-dilutive grants, with the company receiving matching funding from prestigious institutions such as the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X). This dual approach of equity investment and significant grant funding highlights the company’s financial prudence and the strong scientific merit of its research.
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In conjunction with AMRAF’s investment, Junjun Gao, a Principal at the fund, has joined the Trellis Bioscience Board of Directors. This appointment brings valuable expertise in antimicrobial development and strategic investment to the company’s leadership team, further strengthening its governance and strategic direction.
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The Science Behind Calpurbatug: Disrupting Biofilm for a New Era of Treatment
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Trellis Bioscience’s lead candidate, calpurbatug, is a novel monoclonal antibody designed to tackle the persistent challenge of bacterial biofilms. Biofilms are complex microbial communities that adhere to surfaces, such as prosthetic implants, and are notoriously resistant to conventional antibiotics. They create a protective matrix that shields bacteria from the immune system and antimicrobial agents, leading to chronic and recurrent infections.
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The clinical evaluation of calpurbatug commenced with a successful Phase I trial in PJI patients. This initial study, conducted under an investigational new drug (IND) application cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), provided critical initial data on the safety and pharmacokinetic profile of the antibody. Crucially, it also demonstrated the promising biofilm-disrupting activity of calpurbatug, laying the foundation for its advancement into larger clinical trials.
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The Phase II trial is evaluating calpurbatug in the context of the DAIR approach, a standard of care for managing prosthetic joint infections. The DAIR strategy involves surgically removing infected tissue and debris (debridement), administering antibiotics, and retaining the prosthetic implant. The success of this approach hinges on effectively clearing the infection without the need for a more invasive and often less successful two-stage revision surgery. Calpurbatug’s ability to disrupt biofilms is hypothesized to enhance the efficacy of conventional antibiotics and improve the overall success rate of the DAIR procedure, offering a potential paradigm shift in PJI management.
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Addressing a Critical Unmet Medical Need: Prosthetic Joint Infections
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Prosthetic joint infections (PJI) represent a serious and debilitating complication of orthopedic surgeries, particularly knee and hip replacements. These infections pose a significant challenge to patients and healthcare providers alike, as current treatment options are limited and often fraught with difficulties.
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The standard treatment for PJI typically involves a two-stage surgical intervention. The first stage involves removing the infected implant, followed by a prolonged course of antibiotics. The second stage, performed several months later after the infection is deemed cleared, involves inserting a new prosthetic joint. This process is not only lengthy and arduous but also carries substantial risks, including a high rate of treatment failure, significant morbidity, and even an increased risk of mortality. The lack of effective, targeted therapies for PJI underscores the urgent need for innovative solutions like calpurbatug.
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The economic burden of PJI is also substantial, with prolonged hospital stays, repeated surgeries, and ongoing medical care contributing to significant healthcare costs. Beyond the financial implications, the impact on patients’ quality of life can be devastating, leading to chronic pain, disability, and a loss of mobility.
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Official Responses: Enthusiasm for a New Class of Agents
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The successful closing of the Series C round and the ongoing progress of the Phase II trial have been met with considerable enthusiasm from both the company’s leadership and its investors.
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Geoff Dillon, CEO of Trellis Bioscience, expressed his excitement about the company’s trajectory and the support it has garnered. "We’re incredibly excited to have the backing of AMRAF, arguably the most prominent investor in the antimicrobial space, as we move ahead in our efforts to redefine how antibiotic-resistant infections are treated in the future," Dillon stated. "By disrupting bacterial biofilm, calpurbatug represents a new class of agents with potential utility in a substantial number of antibiotic-resistant infections."
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His sentiment was echoed by the investors who recognized the transformative potential of calpurbatug. The investment from AMRAF, in particular, signals a strong endorsement of Trellis’s scientific approach and its potential to address a critical global health challenge. The inclusion of specialized orthopedic surgeons in the funding round further validates the clinical relevance and potential impact of calpurbatug on patient outcomes.
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Implications and Future Outlook: Redefining Infection Control
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The successful funding of Trellis Bioscience and the advancement of calpurbatug have significant implications for the future of infection control, particularly in the realm of antibiotic resistance.
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A New Therapeutic Modality: Calpurbatug’s mechanism of action, targeting bacterial biofilms, offers a novel approach to combating persistent infections. This "new class of agents" has the potential to not only treat existing infections but also to prevent their recurrence, a critical aspect of managing chronic conditions like PJI.
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Addressing the Antimicrobial Resistance Crisis: The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity. The development of effective treatments like calpurbatug is crucial in the fight against AMR, which threatens to undermine decades of medical progress.
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Broad Potential Applications: While the current focus is on PJI, the ability of calpurbatug to disrupt biofilms suggests potential applications in a wide range of other antibiotic-resistant infections. This could include chronic wound infections, implant-associated infections in other medical devices, and even certain types of persistent bacterial infections in other body systems.
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Regulatory Advantages: Calpurbatug has already received significant regulatory attention, including Orphan Drug, Fast Track, and Qualified Infectious Disease Product designations from the FDA. These designations acknowledge the serious nature of PJI and the potential of calpurbatug to address an unmet medical need, potentially accelerating its development and review process.
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As Trellis Bioscience moves forward, the anticipation for the Phase II trial results is palpable. The successful completion of this trial, coupled with the ongoing strategic investments and regulatory support, positions calpurbatug as a promising contender to revolutionize the treatment of chronic prosthetic joint infections and to make a significant contribution to the global fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The company’s commitment to innovation and its strategic partnerships are paving the way for a future where challenging infections can be more effectively managed, ultimately improving patient outcomes and public health.
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