Centauri Therapeutics Limited has initiated a first-in-human clinical trial for CTX-187, an antibody-recruiting antimicrobial designed to treat multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections, marking the first clinical evaluation of the company's Alphamer platform. The bifunctional antimicrobial is designed to address multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections, with initial focus on Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients with bronchiectasis. The trial, registered as NCT07708116, enrolls healthy volunteers in dose-escalation phases and infected patients in a proof-of-concept cohort, spanning healthy participants and clinically infected individuals.
The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase I study will enroll up to 104 participants. Single- and multiple-ascending dose cohorts will evaluate safety, pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity in healthy volunteers before expanding into patients with bronchiectasis and chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection to generate preliminary proof-of-concept data. Enrollment began in June 2026 and completion is expected in late 2027.
CTX-187 combines direct antibacterial activity with an immune-recruiting mechanism that binds bacteria while redirecting naturally occurring anti-αGal antibodies to their surface, promoting complement activation and phagocytic clearance. The candidate is based on Centauri's Alphamer platform, an immunotherapy technology designed to recruit naturally occurring antibodies to bacterial pathogens while also exerting direct antibacterial activity.
CTX-187 has been supported by CARB-X - Boston University's - ==Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator - ==since 2019, receiving more than USD 12 million to advance the Alphamer platform from lead optimization through preclinical development before entering the clinic. The trial also follows a GBP 6 million investment from the AMR Action Fund earlier this year to finance completion of Phase I and prepare the program for Phase II, extending Centauri's Series A financing to GBP 30 million.