Trellis Bioscience, a clinical-stage biotechnology firm, has successfully closed a $9 million Series C financing round to advance its innovative treatment for prosthetic joint infections. The funding will support the completion of a Phase 2 trial for calpurbatug (TRL1068), a novel monoclonal antibody designed to combat this challenging condition. This investment round saw participation from new and existing investors, highlighting strong confidence in the company's approach to antibiotic-resistant infections.
Addressing a Critical Unmet Need
Prosthetic joint infections represent a severe and costly complication following knee or hip replacement surgeries, affecting over 25,000 patients annually in the United States. The current standard of care often involves a two-stage surgical revision, a grueling process for patients with high failure and mortality rates. This procedure contributes to billions in healthcare costs, with individual patient management expenses sometimes exceeding $400,000.
A more patient-friendly alternative known as DAIR, which involves debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention, unfortunately has a much higher failure rate for chronic infections. The challenge is escalating as an aging population undergoes more joint replacement surgeries, increasing the incidence of these devastating infections. This growing crisis underscores the urgent need for more effective and less invasive therapeutic options for patients.
A Novel Approach to Biofilm Disruption
Trellis Bioscience is pioneering a new therapeutic category by targeting the root cause of antibiotic resistance in these infections. Calpurbatug is engineered to disassemble the protective bacterial biofilm that shields bacteria from antibiotics, rendering them vulnerable to treatment. This mechanism represents a significant departure from traditional antimicrobial strategies and holds promise for numerous biofilm-associated infections.
The company's strategy is to augment the DAIR procedure with calpurbatug, potentially yielding outcomes superior to the more invasive two-stage revision. Experts believe this innovative drug could become a game-changer in the field by improving results while being less arduous for the patient. This approach could redefine the standard of care for a range of bacterial infections associated with medical implants.
Strategic Investment and Clinical Progress
The financing was supported by existing investors like New Science Ventures and Easton Capital and attracted new backers, including the AMR Action Fund and The Doctor Group. This brings Trellis's total equity funding to approximately $35 million, complemented by significant non-dilutive grant support. In a key development, Junjun Gao of the AMR Action Fund will join the Trellis Board of Directors.
Trellis has already completed a first-in-human Phase 1 trial that provided early clinical evidence of calpurbatug's biofilm-disrupting activity and safety. The company's ongoing Phase 2 trial, which evaluates the drug in PJI patients undergoing the DAIR procedure, is now fully enrolled. Topline results from this pivotal study are anticipated to be released in the second quarter of 2027.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted calpurbatug several important designations that could accelerate its path to market. These include Orphan Drug, Fast Track, and Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) status. Such designations are intended to facilitate development and regulatory review while providing additional market exclusivity upon potential approval.
This $9 million in funding marks a crucial milestone for Trellis Bioscience, enabling the company to advance a potentially transformative therapy for prosthetic joint infections. By targeting bacterial biofilms, calpurbatug could significantly improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and provide a vital new tool against antimicrobial resistance. The successful completion of the Phase 2 trial will be a critical next step in bringing this promising treatment to patients in need.