Centauri Therapeutics is an immunotherapy startup headquartered in London focused on the treatment of infectious diseases. The company has just raised £1 million grant from PACE (Pathways to Antimicrobial Clinical Efficacy), an initiative focused on early-stage antimicrobial drug and diagnostic discovery.
The funding will support the continued development of Centauri’s Alphamer technology targeting Gram-negative bacteria, including Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) bacterial strains. It will also support the company’s ongoing and future research across multiple therapeutic indications.
This investment follows the recent funding into healthtech startups, including Heim Health, Yazen Health, and more.
Harnesses the immune system to fight diseases
One key component of the immune system is the natural antibody repertoire, a diverse collection of antibodies, some of which are expressed at high levels in everyone, and comprise IgA, IgM, and IgG sub-populations, that are constantly circulating in our blood with specificity for individual glycans. These antibodies are raised and maintained as a result of exposure to foreign antigens in the gut. Natural antibodies have been shown to play an important role in preventing infections of a range of bacterial, viral, and parasitic pathogens.
Centauri Therapeutics was founded by Animatrix founder Stuart Lawson and led by CEO Jennifer Schneider. Centauri’s approach to treating infectious diseases rests upon proprietary Alphamer technology. All projects harness a powerful and clinically validated immune mechanism that redirects naturally existing antibodies to treat life-threatening diseases.
Propriety Alphamer platform
Centauri Therapeutics’ Alphamer technology utilises a proprietary antibody recruiting molecule (ARM) to harness the power of the natural antibody repertoire to fight life-threatening infectious diseases in the most vulnerable patients. Alphamers are modular molecules with three components.
The company’s initial focus is on infectious diseases, driven by an urgent unmet need for anti-infectives to treat the most vulnerable and at-risk patients. Centauri also has strong initial proof-of-concept data in oncology.
What holds for its future?
Centauri’s Alphamer platform targets pathogenic cells and activates the immune system to eradicate them, offering a novel approach to treating bacterial infections, viral diseases, and cancer. With a unique dual-action mechanism, Centauri promises safer, highly targeted therapies, potentially setting a new benchmark in precision medicine for immunotherapy advancements.
“We are pleased that Centauri’s project was selected to be funded in the first round of projects under PACE, in recognition of the value of this novel immunotherapeutic technology” commented Dr Jennifer Schneider, CEO, Centauri Therapeutics. “We are excited to have support from PACE as we progress the development of our molecules in anti-infectives, and de-risk opportunities across multiple therapeutic areas.”
Dr Beverley Isherwood, Programme Director, PACE, said: “Centauri’s immunotherapy platform provides a unique approach to addressing the rising threat of difficult-to-treat infections – one of our most complex health challenges. By working together with the brightest and best, providing support to companies such as Centauri, we aim to give leading antimicrobial innovations the greatest chance of success, advancing early-stage drug and diagnostic projects with greater speed, support, and confidence.”
