ContraFect
ContraFect is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing bacteriophage-derived lysins and monoclonal antibodies to treat life-threatening, antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections in hospital and public-health settings.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersYonkers, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What ContraFect does
ContraFect is a clinical-stage biotechnology company founded in 2008 and headquartered in Yonkers, New York. The company is publicly listed under the ticker CFRXU and researches and develops monoclonal antibodies, bacteriophage-derived lysins, and other novel biologics to treat life-threatening, antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, an area in which conventional antibiotics have diminishing efficacy. Its core scientific platform centers on direct lytic agents (lysins) and bacteriophage therapy, with a pipeline led by exebacase (CF-301), a lysin in development for Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia including MRSA. The underlying technology originated from founder Vincent Fischetti's laboratory research and is supported by a scientific leadership team including CSO Michael Wittekind and CMO/EVP R&D Cara Cassino.
ContraFect has no commercial products and no reported product revenue; its business model is structured around late-stage clinical development funded by a mix of equity financings and non-dilutive grants. Capital sources have included institutional investors (Birchview Fund, Broadfin Capital, Cormorant Asset Management, Oracle Investment Management, Maxim Group, Equity Source Partners) and government/grant bodies (CARB-X, U.S. Department of Defense, and the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs). Aggregate disclosed funding from 2010 through 2022 totals roughly $331 million. Go-to-market and pricing mechanics are not yet defined because no therapeutic has been approved or launched; the addressable customer base is anticipated to be hospitals and infectious-disease prescribers treating drug-resistant infections, but no commercialization has occurred.
Operationally, the company runs with a small headcount of 11-50 employees consistent with a clinical-development organization rather than a commercial-stage biopharma. The combination of substantial cumulative losses (operating losses of approximately -$56.9M in 2022 and -$47.3M in 2021), no product revenue, shrinking equity raise sizes (down to $7M in December 2022), and reliance on grant funding indicates a financially constrained enterprise whose strategic viability depends on continued capital access, clinical milestones, or potential partnership/M&A outcomes.
ContraFect firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ContraFect
- Website
- https://contrafect.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ContraFect is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing bacteriophage-derived lysins and monoclonal antibodies to treat life-threatening, antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections in hospital and public-health settings.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ContraFect industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Antimicrobial Biopharmaceuticals
- NAICS
- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Infectious Disease Specialty Pharmaceuticals (Non-vaccine) (HLAIACAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Infectious Disease & Antimicrobials Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAG), General Infectious Disease (HLAKAGAA)
Keywords
Where ContraFect is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Yonkers
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
ContraFect business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Others
ContraFect product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ContraFect is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that researches and develops direct lytic agents (lysins) and monoclonal antibodies intended to treat life-threatening, antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. The company's pipeline targets infections where conventional antibiotics have failed or are losing effectiveness, with a focus on the global antimicrobial resistance crisis. It does not yet market approved products; revenue is currently sourced from research grants and equity financings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Direct lytic agents (lysin) therapeutics pipeline Bacteriophage-derived lysin enzyme candidates developed by ContraFect as direct lytic agents designed to treat serious bacterial infections, including drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections, where conventional antibiotics have failed.
- Anti-bacterial monoclonal antibody programs Monoclonal antibody therapeutic candidates developed by ContraFect to neutralize bacterial pathogens and virulence factors implicated in life-threatening infectious diseases, complementing the company's lysin-based direct lytic agent pipeline.
Companies that use ContraFect
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles2 records
ContraFect technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ContraFect partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ContraFect competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Armata Pharmaceuticals: Clinical-stage developer of engineered bacteriophage therapies for antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, the closest direct competitor to ContraFect in phage-based anti-infectives.
- Adaptive Phage Therapeutics: Developer of phage therapy platforms targeting multi-drug resistant bacterial infections, directly comparable to ContraFect's phage-derived therapeutic approach.
- BiomX: Clinical-stage phage therapy company focused on acne, IBD, and other bacterial-driven diseases, offering a directly comparable phage-based therapeutic modality.
- Locus Biosciences: Developer of engineered bacteriophage products (crPhage platform) targeting antibiotic-resistant pathogens, directly competing in the same therapeutic modality.
- iNtRON Biotechnology: Korean biotech developing lysin-based antibacterial therapeutics (SAL200 and successors), the closest direct lysin-modality peer to ContraFect's lead program.
Emerging players
- Eligo Bioscience: Developer of phage-derived precision antimicrobials using synthetic biology, representing an emerging next-generation phage modality with comparable scientific foundations.
- Phagelux: China-based phage-focused biotech developing therapeutic phage products for human and animal health, a regional emerging player in the same modality.
Regional players
- TechnoPhage: Portugal-based biopharma developing bacteriophage-based therapies and alternative anti-infectives, a comparable but geographically distinct peer in phage therapeutics.
Broad incumbents
- Melinta Therapeutics: Established commercial-stage anti-infectives company with conventional antibiotics, representing the broader incumbent landscape ContraFect would compete against commercially.
Others
- Seres Therapeutics: Clinical-stage microbiome therapeutics company targeting recurrent infections (e.g., C. difficile), an adjacent modality addressing AMR-related indications with overlapping scientific and competitive themes.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ContraFect social profiles
Digital presenceContraFect financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ContraFect leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
ContraFect funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds18 records
Investors9 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ContraFect M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ContraFect
What does ContraFect do?
ContraFect is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that researches and develops direct lytic agents (lysins) and monoclonal antibodies intended to treat life-threatening, antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. The company's pipeline targets infections where conventional antibiotics have failed or are losing effectiveness, with a focus on the global antimicrobial resistance crisis. It does not yet market approved products; revenue is currently sourced from research grants and equity financings.
When was ContraFect founded?
ContraFect was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ContraFect based?
ContraFect is headquartered in Yonkers, United States, in the North America region.
Who are ContraFect's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Armata Pharmaceuticals, Adaptive Phage Therapeutics, BiomX, Locus Biosciences and iNtRON Biotechnology. Emerging players are Eligo Bioscience and Phagelux. TechnoPhage is listed as a regional player. Melinta Therapeutics is listed as a broad incumbent. Seres Therapeutics is listed as an others.
Does ContraFect have an API?
No public API is recorded for ContraFect.
What industry is ContraFect in?
ContraFect's product category is Antimicrobial Biopharmaceuticals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIACAM, Infectious Disease Specialty Pharmaceuticals (Non-vaccine), with a secondary code of HLAIAAAG, Infectious Disease & Antimicrobials Pharmaceuticals. Its NAICS code is 325414 and its SIC code is 2836.