Baxiva secures USD 3M to advance antibacterial vaccines
25.08.2025
Schlieren-based biotech ETH spin-off Baxiva has been awarded USD 3 million from the Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) to develop a multivalent glycoconjugate vaccine against Escherichia coli (E. coli) infections.
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Escherichia coli is the leading cause of urinary tract infections, a frequent cause of neonatal sepsis, and a major contributor to antimicrobial resistance-related deaths worldwide. Baxiva's approach focuses on multivalent vaccines, which are designed to protect against multiple strains of a single pathogen. The company's proprietary conjugation platform streamlines the development of such vaccines by targeting serotype-specific polysaccharides of Gram-negative bacteria.
The lead program targets invasive extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) infections, with a formulation combining surface polysaccharides with a carrier protein to strengthen immune response. By focusing on the most prevalent ExPEC serotypes, Baxiva aims to reduce the global burden of infections that have become increasingly resistant to existing treatments.
CARB-X, a global non-profit partnership, supports early-stage antibacterial research to counter the rising threat of drug-resistant bacteria. Its funding will enable Baxiva to progress its vaccine candidate toward future clinical development.
The biotech startup won Venture Kick in 2025.
From left to right: Christoph Rutschmann (Head of R&D), Tim Keys (CSO), Louise Larsson (Head of Preclinical Development), Sharon Dreier (Vaccine Development Associate), Giorgia Greter (CEO)
The lead program targets invasive extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) infections, with a formulation combining surface polysaccharides with a carrier protein to strengthen immune response. By focusing on the most prevalent ExPEC serotypes, Baxiva aims to reduce the global burden of infections that have become increasingly resistant to existing treatments.
CARB-X, a global non-profit partnership, supports early-stage antibacterial research to counter the rising threat of drug-resistant bacteria. Its funding will enable Baxiva to progress its vaccine candidate toward future clinical development.
The biotech startup won Venture Kick in 2025.
From left to right: Christoph Rutschmann (Head of R&D), Tim Keys (CSO), Louise Larsson (Head of Preclinical Development), Sharon Dreier (Vaccine Development Associate), Giorgia Greter (CEO)