Trellis Bioscience Closes $9M Series C Funding Round

Trellis Bioscience, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical firm specializing in novel antibody therapeutics, has successfully closed a $9 million Series C funding round. This crucial capital infusion is earmarked to advance the company's lead candidate, calpurbatug (TRL1068), through its upcoming Phase 2 clinical trial. The focus of this trial is the treatment of chronic prosthetic joint infections (PJI), a significant challenge in orthopedic care.

The latest financing round saw robust participation from Trellis Bioscience's existing backers, including prominent venture capital firms New Science Ventures and Easton Capital. Significantly, the round also attracted new strategic investors, namely the AMR Action Fund (AMRAF), The Doctor Group of Dallas, Texas, and a consortium of highly experienced orthopedic surgeons. These new partners bring deep expertise in combating challenging infections, particularly within the PJI landscape.

This Series C brings Trellis Bioscience's cumulative equity financing to approximately $35 million. This substantial private investment is complemented by an equivalent amount of non-dilutive funding secured through grants from prestigious institutions such as the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and CARB-X (Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator). This dual-pronged financial strategy underscores the significant potential recognized in Trellis's approach to tackling antimicrobial resistance and intractable infectious diseases.

In conjunction with the investment from the AMR Action Fund, Junjun Gao, PhD, Principal at AMRAF, has been appointed to the Trellis Bioscience Board of Directors. Dr. Gao's extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical sector is expected to provide invaluable strategic guidance as the company progresses its pipeline. The addition of such seasoned leadership signals a commitment to rigorous scientific advancement and commercialization.

Trellis Bioscience differentiates itself through its proprietary platform for isolating human monoclonal antibodies directly from the white blood cells of recovered patients. This "native human antibody" approach is designed to yield therapeutics with a potentially lower toxicity profile compared to other drug modalities. The company's lead program, calpurbatug, leverages this technology to target the persistent biofilms characteristic of chronic PJI, a notoriously difficult-to-treat condition often requiring multiple surgeries and prolonged antibiotic courses.

Beyond its PJI program, Trellis Bioscience is actively developing a portfolio of antiviral antibodies addressing critical unmet medical needs. One such antiviral candidate is already undergoing clinical evaluation, highlighting the breadth of the company's therapeutic ambitions. The broader market for antibody-based therapeutics continues to expand, driven by their specificity and efficacy, with the global monoclonal antibody market projected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars in the coming years. Trellis's focus on infectious diseases, particularly those driven by resistant pathogens, positions it within a high-impact segment of this growing market.