The Challenge
Antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest threats to global health. The World Health Organization has identified critical priority pathogens including Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa that urgently need new treatments.
700K+
Annual deaths from drug-resistant infections
11M
Annual deaths from sepsis worldwide
$100B
Global antibiotic market by 2030
$62B
Annual US healthcare costs from sepsis
Our Solution
Febris Therapeutics is developing AI-designed therapeutics targeting novel essential bacterial proteins involved in outer membrane assembly—critical machinery present in all Gram-negative bacteria. Our proprietary platform addresses both bacterial infection and the sepsis cascade.
Dual Mechanism of Action
- Direct bacterial inhibition: Targets essential proteins required for bacterial survival
- Sepsis cascade interruption: Prevents lipopolysaccharide (LPS) release and downstream inflammatory response
- Pan-bacterial activity: Conserved target across multiple Gram-negative pathogens
- Resistance-proof design: Targeting essential machinery limits resistance development
Why Our Target?
- Essential for survival: Required for bacterial outer membrane assembly and viability
- Validated druggability: Multiple inhibitor classes confirm target is accessible and drug-responsive
- Sepsis prevention: Target inhibition reduces LPS release, blocking the sepsis cascade at its source
- Broad-spectrum potential: Highly conserved across all Gram-negative bacteria
Sepsis Prevention: A Critical Unmet Need
Sepsis—the body's overwhelming inflammatory response to infection—kills 11 million people annually and costs the US healthcare system $62 billion per year. Despite decades of research, no effective sepsis therapeutics exist that target the root cause.
The LPS-Sepsis Connection
Gram-negative bacterial infections trigger sepsis through the release of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), also known as endotoxin. When bacteria die—whether from natural causes or antibiotic treatment—they release massive amounts of LPS, triggering a cytokine storm that leads to:
- Systemic inflammation and multi-organ failure
- Septic shock and cardiovascular collapse
- 30-50% mortality rate despite intensive care
- $62B annual healthcare costs in the US alone
Our Approach: Prevention at the Source
Rather than treating sepsis after it develops, our therapeutics prevent LPS release by targeting essential outer membrane assembly proteins. By inhibiting this critical bacterial machinery:
- ✅ Bacteria are killed without lysing (controlled cell death)
- ✅ LPS remains sequestered within dying bacteria
- ✅ Sepsis cascade is prevented before it starts
- ✅ Dual benefit: Antibacterial effect + sepsis prevention in one therapeutic
Market Impact: This dual mechanism positions our therapeutics uniquely for both antibiotic-resistant infections ($100B market) and sepsis prevention ($4.2B market growing to $8.6B by 2030).
Technology Platform
AI-Powered Drug Discovery
Our proprietary approach combines artificial intelligence with computational molecular docking to design and validate novel therapeutics with unprecedented speed and accuracy.
AI Sequence Generation
Computational Docking
Structure-Based Design
Multi-Species Validation
Our Therapeutic Approach
Febris Therapeutics employs a proprietary class of therapeutics designed to bind bacterial targets with high affinity and specificity. Our platform offers significant advantages over traditional antibiotics:
- Rapid development: AI-accelerated design reduces development time from years to months
- Low toxicity profile: Selective targeting minimizes off-target effects
- Scalable manufacturing: Chemical synthesis enables reproducible, cost-effective production
- Stability: Robust formulation suitable for diverse clinical settings
- Resistance-proof design: Targets essential protein structures with low mutation tolerance
- Dual benefit: Direct antibacterial effect plus sepsis cascade prevention
Pipeline & Development
Lead Program: Gonorrhea + Sepsis Prevention
Primary Indication: Antibiotic-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonorrhea)
Secondary Benefit: Sepsis prevention through LPS neutralization
Stage: Computational validation complete, advancing to experimental validation
Preclinical Validation:
- Validated against 4 WHO priority pathogens (N. gonorrhoeae, A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, E. coli)
- Superior predicted binding to N. gonorrhoeae target protein
- Pan-bacterial activity demonstrated across multiple Gram-negative species
- Targets conserved structural features of essential outer membrane machinery
- Expected to reduce LPS release and subsequent inflammatory cascade
Platform Potential
Our technology platform enables rapid development of therapeutics against multiple bacterial targets with built-in sepsis prevention:
- Lead program: N. gonorrhoeae (STI market $2.4B + sepsis prevention)
- Hospital-acquired infections: A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa (biodefense + ICU sepsis prevention)
- Cystic fibrosis: P. aeruginosa chronic infections with reduced inflammatory burden
- Sepsis therapeutics: Preventive treatment for high-risk surgical and ICU patients
- Platform expansion: Additional Gram-negative pathogens and sepsis indications
Key Milestones
- 2026 Q1: Computational validation complete (4 WHO pathogens)
- 2026 Q2: Experimental validation (binding assays, Kd determination)
- 2026 Q3-Q4: Lead optimization & antibacterial activity testing
- 2027: IND-enabling studies
Funding & Partnerships
We are actively seeking:
- NIH SBIR grants (Phase I: $300-400K)
- DoD SBIR grants (biodefense applications)
- Strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical companies
- Technology partnerships with AI/cloud providers (NVIDIA, Microsoft, Google, AWS)
- Angel/seed investment for experimental validation
Market Opportunity
Target Markets
- Antibiotic resistance: $100B+ global market by 2030
- Sepsis therapeutics: $4.2B market growing to $8.6B by 2030
- Gonorrhea treatment: $2.4B market (600K+ cases/year in US alone)
- Hospital-acquired infections: $10B+ market (A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa)
- Biodefense: Government procurement for critical pathogens and sepsis countermeasures
Competitive Advantages
- AI-driven speed: Months vs. years for traditional drug discovery
- Dual mechanism: Direct antibacterial action PLUS sepsis cascade prevention
- Novel target class: Essential outer membrane machinery (distinct from traditional antibiotics, reduces resistance)
- Pan-bacterial platform: Single technology applicable to multiple WHO priority pathogens
- De-risked development: Computational validation identifies lead candidates before costly experiments
- Sepsis market entry: Addresses $4.2B unmet need with novel approach
Team & Advisors
Febris Therapeutics is led by experienced professionals in biotechnology, computational biology, and drug development.
Team details available upon request for qualified investors and partners.