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Adaptive Phage Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotechnology company developing personalized phage therapies for multi-drug resistant bacterial infections.
Based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Adaptive Phage Therapeutics is a clinical stage biotechnology company that develops personalized phage therapies to treat severe, multidrug resistant bacterial infections. The organization maintains a proprietary, dynamically updated antimicrobial library known as PhageBank, which utilizes an innovative matching system to pair specific phages with individual patient pathogens for scalable treatment. Founded in 2016 by Greg Merril and Carl Merril, the enterprise operated with approximately 21 employees and secured over $60 million in total venture funding prior to its corporate acquisition. The firm collaborated with and received strategic financial backing from notable entities such as the Mayo Clinic, the US Navy, and the AMR Action Fund. Following a $41 million Series B financing round to advance clinical trials, the company was ultimately acquired by clinical stage microbiome company BiomX in March 2024.
Adaptive Phage Therapeutics has raised $92.0M across 4 funding rounds.
Adaptive Phage Therapeutics has raised $92.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Adaptive Phage Therapeutics has raised $92.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Adaptive Phage Therapeutics's investors include AMR Action Fund, Ian Hardy, Deerfield Management, Mission BioCapital, Mayo Clinic, Roche Venture Fund, Alexandria Venture Investments.
Adaptive Phage Therapeutics (APT) is a biotechnology company developing phage therapies to treat multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogenic bacteria infections.[1][2] It builds personalized therapeutic services using bacteriophages—viruses that target and destroy specific harmful bacteria—serving patients with life-threatening antibiotic-resistant infections, such as those in chronic diseases.[1][2][3] APT solves the growing crisis of antimicrobial resistance by offering precision alternatives to failing antibiotics, with its PhageBank™ platform enabling customized treatments; the company has shown growth momentum through a $61M Series B extension in 2022, DoD contracts, and FDA clearance for its first clinical study on a polymicrobial phage library.[1][4]
Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Bethesda, MD, APT emerged from the pioneering phage research of co-founders Gregory L. Merril (CEO) and Carl Merril (CSO).[1] Gregory, a serial life-science entrepreneur and prior CEO of Immersion Medical, and Carl, an MD whose NIH work on phage evolution laid foundations for modern treatments (praised by Nobel laureate Joshua Lederberg), developed PhageBank™ in collaboration with the U.S. Navy.[1][3] Early traction included a 2020 DoD contract for antibiotic alternatives and Navy-licensed technologies in 2021, marking pivotal moments in advancing phage therapy from research to clinical potential.[1]
APT rides the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) trend, where superbugs cause millions of deaths annually and antibiotics lose efficacy, amplified by post-COVID infection surges and pipeline gaps.[1][2] Timing is critical amid global AMR crises, with market forces like regulatory fast-tracks (e.g., FDA clearance) and government funding favoring phage innovators.[1][4] APT influences the ecosystem by validating phages as viable alternatives—via military collaborations and trials—paving the way for microbiome therapies in chronic conditions like cystic fibrosis, as seen in peers like BiomX.[3]
APT is poised for milestone trials and potential partnerships, building on its Series B and FDA nod to deliver first-in-class MDR treatments.[1][4] Trends like AI-phage matching and expanded phage libraries will accelerate its pipeline, while AMR urgency could drive acquisitions (noting 2024 BiomX merger scrutiny).[1][3] Its influence may evolve from niche biotech to AMR leader, humanizing precision medicine against a silent pandemic and proving phages' commercial viability.[1][2]
Adaptive Phage Therapeutics has raised $92.0M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $24.0M Series B in June 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 13, 2023 | $24.0M Series B | AMR Action Fund, Ian Hardy | |
| Apr 1, 2022 | $20.0M Series B | Deerfield Management | AMR Action Fund, Mission BioCapital, Mayo Clinic |
| May 1, 2021 | $41.0M Series B | Deerfield Management | Roche Venture Fund, Mayo Clinic |
| Oct 4, 2019 | $7.0M Other Equity | Alexandria Venture Investments |