CTX-09 demonstrates immune-mediated efficacy through Alphamer platform, supporting immune system activation against drug-resistant infections.

Centauri Therapeutics has published proof-of-concept data showing strong preclinical immune-mediated antibacterial activity for its bifunctional molecule CTX-09, a novel immunotherapy designed to treat multi-drug resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacterial infections. The findings, published in The Journal of Immunology, mark the first application of endogenous antibody recruitment as a strategy to target Gram-negative pathogens in both in vitro and in vivo models.

The study validates the company’s Alphamer platform, which is designed to harness the body’s natural immune system to combat disease. CTX-09 combines an antimicrobial targeting domain with an effector sugar that recruits anti-αGal antibodies—naturally abundant in humans—to stimulate an immune response.

Centauri is developing the platform to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Treatment options for Gram-negative infections remain limited, and the emergence of MDR strains is creating an urgent need for innovative, immune-driven approaches.

The peer-reviewed data confirm that CTX-09 has direct, broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and can trigger immune-mediated clearance of Gram-negative bacteria, including resistant strains. In vivo studies showed that more than 99.9% of bacterial cells were cleared at sub-therapeutic doses, highlighting the potential for reduced dosing requirements and enhanced efficacy.

Dr Jennifer Schneider, chief executive officer of Centauri Therapeutics, said: “Centauri’s Alphamer platform has been uniquely developed as a powerful immune therapy that harnesses and empowers the body’s own naturally occurring antibodies to fight disease. This publication reinforces our continued confidence in the platform, which forms the basis of our therapeutic pipeline, demonstrating clear evidence of efficacy in vivo. Thank you to our amazing team for their continued dedication in pursuit of this goal, and to our partners and investors for their ongoing support.”

Dr Helen Bright, chief scientific officer of Centauri Therapeutics, added: “This latest publication from our talented team of scientists at Centauri provides clear, foundational proof-of-concept data demonstrating the potential our innovative Alphamer platform to transform treatment options, in even clinically vulnerable patient groups. CTX-09 was an early molecule based on this platform, providing concept validation for a novel, dual mechanism of action anti-microbial immune therapeutic drug. We’re pleased to be able to showcase this data and are confident we will continue to build on these positive results as our lead candidate ABX-01 progresses towards Phase I clinical trials.”

The company believes the Alphamer approach offers a novel immunotherapeutic path for tackling difficult-to-treat infections by combining direct bactericidal activity with endogenous immune activation, a strategy that could also be applied across other therapeutic indications.