What Acurx Pharmaceuticals does

Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACXP) is a publicly traded, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Staten Island, New York (Delaware-incorporated), developing a new class of small-molecule antibiotics that inhibit DNA polymerase IIIC (PolC), an enzyme specific to Gram-positive bacteria. The company's proprietary platform, branded Gram-Positive Selective Spectrum (GPSS®), blocks bacterial DNA replication while sparing beneficial gut microbiota, addressing the high recurrence rates (20-40%) and microbiome disruption associated with current standard-of-care antibiotics for C. difficile infection (CDI). Lead candidate ibezapolstat has completed Phase 2 trials showing a 96% clinical cure rate with 0% recurrence in cured patients, has received FDA QIDP and Fast Track designations and EMA SME designation, and is Phase 3-ready with regulatory alignment from both FDA and EMA. A preclinical pipeline (ACX-375C) extends the platform to systemically absorbed antibiotics against MRSA, VRE, drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, and inhalational anthrax.

Name

Acurx Pharmaceuticals

Legal name

Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Website

https://acurxpharma.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Acurx Pharmaceuticals is a publicly traded clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of DNA polymerase IIIC (PolC) inhibitor antibiotics, with lead candidate ibezapolstat Phase 3-ready for C. difficile infection and preclinical assets targeting MRSA, VRE, and anthrax.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Infectious Disease Therapeutics (Antibiotics)

NAICS

Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Infectious Disease & Antimicrobials Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Infectious Disease Specialty Pharmaceuticals (Non-vaccine) (HLAIACAM)

Keywords

• Antibiotic drug development
• Clinical stage biopharmaceutical
• Gram-positive infections
• DNA polymerase inhibitors
• C. difficile treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

White Plains

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Antibiotic commercialization: Acurx is a pre-revenue clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. Its primary anticipated revenue stream will come from the commercialization of its antibiotic pipeline following regulatory approval, starting with ibezapolstat for C. difficile infection (CDI). The company is developing antibiotics for acute CDI, recurrent CDI (rCDI), and other Gram-positive bacterial infections including MRSA, VRE, and anthrax. Revenue will be generated through pharmaceutical product sales once approved.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Acurx Pharmaceuticals develops a new class of small-molecule antibiotics that inhibit the Gram-positive specific enzyme DNA polymerase IIIC (PolC), marketed under its Gram-Positive Selective Spectrum (GPSS®) approach. Its lead asset, oral ibezapolstat, is a Phase 3-ready antibiotic for C. difficile infection (CDI), and the preclinical ACX-375C program extends the same platform to systemically absorbed treatments for MRSA, VRE, drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, and inhalational anthrax.

Product overview

Acurx Pharmaceuticals is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of antibiotics targeting priority pathogens identified by WHO, CDC, and FDA. The company operates a GPSS® (Gram-Positive Selective Spectrum) technology platform with its lead product ibezapolstat in Phase 3 ready status for C. difficile infection treatment. The preclinical pipeline includes the ACX-375C program for systemically absorbed antibiotics targeting MRSA, VRE, DRSP, and anthrax. The company leverages DNA polymerase IIIC inhibition as a novel mechanism of action.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GPSS®: Gram-Positive Selective Spectrum - the company's antibiotic development approach targeting DNA polymerase IIIC in Gram-positive bacteria while sparing beneficial gut microbiota
• ACX-375C

Products and services

• Ibezapolstat (IBZ) Oral, first-in-class DNA polymerase IIIC inhibitor antibiotic being developed for the treatment of C. difficile infection (CDI), including prevention of recurrent CDI. Phase 3-ready with FDA QIDP and Fast Track designations; intended for hospital initiation and outpatient continuation in patients with acute and multiply-recurrent CDI.
• ACX-375C Program Preclinical pipeline of systemically absorbed DNA Pol IIIC inhibitors designed to treat serious drug-resistant Gram-positive bacterial infections including MRSA, VRE, drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (DRSP), and Bacillus anthracis (anthrax). Targets indications where existing antibiotic classes are failing and where new mechanism-of-action therapies are needed.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% clinical cure rate (25 of 26 patients) in combined Phase 2 trials for CDI
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2025Acurx Pharmaceuticals collaborates with Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) in the Netherlands on research into DNA Pol IIIC inhibitors. This is a public-private partnership (PPP) partially funded by Health~Holland (Dutch government research grant of approximately $375,000 USD). The collaboration has resolved the cryo-EM structure of ibezapolstat bound to DNA pol IIIC at 3.2Å resolution. The new grant (POLSTOP4MDRO) aims to study mode-of-action and resistance conservation across MRSA, VRE, and PRSP, and to generate the first-ever 3D structure of PolC from MRSA in complex with an Acurx inhibitor. Lead researchers include Dr. Wiep Klaas Smits, Dr. Meindert Lamers, and Dr. Mia Urem.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Seres Therapeutics: Clinical-stage microbiome therapeutics company that developed and commercialized Vowst, the first FDA-approved oral microbiome therapeutic for prevention of recurrent C. difficile infection. Directly comparable to Acurx as both target CDI/rCDI with differentiated mechanisms.
• Iterum Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing oral sulopenem for complicated urinary tract infections and other Gram-negative infections. Comparable as a small-cap, late-stage antibiotics developer with similar capital-raising profile and reliance on a single late-stage asset.
• Cidara Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotechnology company developing anti-infectives including rezafungin, a long-acting echinocandin antifungal. Comparable as a small public anti-infectives developer focused on differentiated mechanism and hospital use.
• Melinta Therapeutics: Specialty antibiotics company with marketed products including Baxdela (delafloxacin). Comparable as a small antibiotics-focused commercial-stage company navigating the same hospital-channel commercial dynamics relevant to a future ibezapolstat launch.
• Nabriva Therapeutics: Biopharmaceutical company that developed and commercialized Xenleta (lefamulin), a pleuromutilin antibiotic for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. Comparable as a small-cap antibiotics developer with a hospital-channel launch approach and similar regulatory pathway profile.
• Innoviva (formerly Entasis Therapeutics): Specialty pharmaceutical company that acquired Entasis Therapeutics and commercialized Xacduro (sulbactam-durlobactam) for Acinetobacter infections. Comparable as a focused anti-infectives developer targeting serious bacterial pathogens in the hospital channel.

Broad incumbents

• Ferring Pharmaceuticals: Global specialty biopharmaceutical company that markets Rebyota (fecal microbiota, live-jslm), the first FDA-approved fecal microbiota product for prevention of rCDI. Comparable as an established CDI/rCDI player competing in Acurx's core therapeutic area.
• Merck & Co. Large pharmaceutical company that markets Dificid (fidaxomicin), the leading branded macrocyclic antibiotic for C. difficile infection. Comparable as the entrenched standard-of-care competitor that any new CDI entrant (including ibezapolstat) must displace.
• Astellas Pharma: Japanese multinational pharmaceutical company that co-markets Dificid (fidaxomicin) with Merck for CDI. Comparable as a broad incumbent selling an established CDI therapy competing with Acurx's lead candidate.

Emerging players

• ContraFect Corporation: Clinical-stage biotechnology company developing direct lytic agents (lysins) and other anti-infectives for serious bacterial infections including drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Comparable as a small emerging anti-infectives developer pursuing novel mechanisms against Gram-positive priority pathogens.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acurx-pharmaceuticals-inc

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Acurx Pharmaceuticals