What AdjuTec Pharma does

AdjuTec Pharma AS is a privately held Norwegian pharmaceutical R&D company founded in 2019 in Oslo and headquartered at Gaustadalléen 21. Founded by Professor Emeritus Pål Rongved of the University of Oslo, the company is focused exclusively on developing antibiotic resistance breakers, specifically β-lactamase inhibitors (BLIs) designed to inactivate bacterial enzymes that neutralize modern antibiotics. Its core technology is APC148, a first-in-class metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) resistance breaker with no clinically available competitor product. APC148 is combined with established antibiotics (meropenem, cefepime) and other enzyme inhibitors such as avibactam to form combination products: lead asset APC301 (meropenem + APC148 + avibactam), follow-on APC302 (cefepime + APC148 + avibactam), broad-spectrum preclinical candidate APC247, and academic antifungal project APC277. All products are patent-protected. APC148 completed a First-in-Human single-dose-ascending study in 2024, demonstrating safety and tolerability, and APC301 received FDA Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) designation in 2024. End users will be hospitals and healthcare systems treating patients with complicated infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, including carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE).

The company operates a five-person management team (CEO Jethro Holter, ex-Pfizer/Thermo Fisher/ArcticZymes; CSO Pål Rongved; COO Bjørn Klem; Chief Clinical & Regulatory Officer Bjørg Bolstad, a former EMA CHMP representative; plus research scientist Veronika Smith and consultant Vitalina Liapko) and is supported by advisors including Rafael Cantón and David Livermore. AdjuTec is pre-commercial and pre-revenue; it has raised €10 million in combined private investments and public grants, including from Farvatn Venture (2021) and with Kistefos as a major shareholder represented on the board by Hege Tjørsvaag Brattebø and Espen Franzon Amundsen.

The business model is asset-development led: AdjuTec funds early-stage clinical programs of its pipeline projects internally and intends to out-license or partner with global pharmaceutical companies for late-stage R&D, regulatory execution, commercialisation, and global market penetration. Revenue, when it materializes, will flow from one-time licensing transactions, milestone payments, and ultimately product sales (via the partner). The company addresses an addressable global market for β-lactam and β-lactamase inhibitors projected at €28 billion by 2028 (2.3% CAGR from 2019) and a €3+ billion HAI/Gram-negative segment by 2026 (10.8% CAGR), set against a public-health backdrop of 1.3 million AMR deaths in 2019 and a forecast 39 million by 2050.

Name

AdjuTec Pharma

Legal name

AdjuTec Pharma AS

Website

https://adjutecpharma.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AdjuTec Pharma AS is a Norwegian clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing first-in-class β-lactamase inhibitors, led by APC148, that restore antibiotic efficacy against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections for hospital and healthcare-system patients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Antibiotic Pharmaceuticals

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Infectious Disease & Antimicrobials Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Microbiome Modulating Small Molecules & Antibiotic Alternatives (HLAAAFAG)

Keywords

• Antibiotic resistance breakers
• Beta-lactamase inhibitors
• Antimicrobial resistance therapeutics
• Multidrug-resistant infection treatments
• Pharmaceutical drug development

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical product sales (future): Pre-commercialization stage. The company plans to develop pipeline products through early-stage clinical programs and then partner with global pharmaceutical companies for late-stage R&D and commercialization. Revenue will come from product sales following regulatory approval.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

AdjuTec Pharma develops antibiotic resistance breakers based on β-lactamase inhibitor (BLI) technology. The core platform centers on APC148, a first-in-class metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) inhibitor that inactivates bacterial resistance enzymes to restore the efficacy of broad-spectrum antibiotics. The company combines APC148 with antibiotics such as meropenem (APC301) and cefepime (APC302), and other enzyme inhibitors, to create drug products targeting multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections in hospital settings.

Product overview

AdjuTec Pharma is a Norwegian pharmaceutical company developing a portfolio of antibiotic resistance breakers based on β-lactamase inhibitor (BLI) technology. The core platform centers on APC148, an MBL (metallo-β-lactamase) resistance breaker that inactivates bacterial resistance enzymes. This technology is combined with different antibiotics to create differentiated products: APC301 (meropenem + APC148 + avibactam) is the lead product targeting complicated multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections; APC302 (cefepime + APC148 + avibactam) is a follow-up product for broader patient populations; APC247 is an early-preclinical broad-spectrum BLI for use with last-resort antibiotics; and APC277 is an academic project targeting resistant fungal infections. All products are covered by approved patents or patent applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• APC148 First-in-class metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) resistance breaker that destroys vital bacteria resistance mechanisms by inactivating β-lactamase enzymes, enabling antibiotics to destroy bacteria. Used as a core resistance-breaking component combined with different antibiotics (e.g., meropenem, cefepime) and other enzyme inhibitors.
• APC301 Lead product combining meropenem with APC148 and avibactam. Designed to secure the efficacy of meropenem against multidrug-resistant bacteria in patients with complicated infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Tested in vitro against 176 MBL- and SBL-producing Enterobacterales, demonstrating the most potent activity compared to competitor products. Holds FDA Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) designation.
• APC302 Follow-up product combining cefepime with APC148 and avibactam, showing similar good effects to APC301 in in vitro testing. Target indication is patients with complicated infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, providing broader patient population coverage.
• APC247 Broad-spectrum β-lactamase inhibitor used as an adjuvant together with last-resort antibiotics. Target indication is patients with complicated Gram-negative infections. In early preclinical development.

Quantifiable outcome

• APC301 demonstrated most potent activity in vitro against 176 MBL- and SBL-producing bacteria (Enterobacterales) compared to competitor products
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Academia (unspecified)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdjuTec Pharma is collaborating with academia to find solutions to break fungi resistance. The specific academic institution(s) are not named in the source material. This collaboration supports the company's broader R&D efforts beyond bacterial infections into antifungal resistance.

Scale indicators6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Inotiv: CRO/preclinical research services organisation that supports antibacterial development workflows; not a competitor but an ecosystem participant relevant to AdjuTec's preclinical and IND-enabling activities.

Direct peers

• Melinta Therapeutics: Antibiotic-focused company with Gram-negative portfolio assets (e.g., meropenem-vaborbactam class), addressing the same CRE/MDR hospital market as AdjuTec's pipeline.
• Iterum Therapeutics: Clinical-stage company developing oral and IV β-lactam antibiotics (sulopenem) for multi-drug resistant Gram-negative infections — same target pathogens and combinations logic as AdjuTec.
• Entasis Therapeutics: Developed sulbactam-durlobactam, a BLI combination targeting carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter — a closely adjacent MBL/SBL resistance-breaking mechanism and indication space.
• VenatoRx Pharmaceuticals: Develops taniborbactam, a pan-spectrum β-lactamase inhibitor (including MBL coverage) being combined with cefepime. Direct mechanistic overlap with AdjuTec's APC301/APC302 MBL-resistance-breaker strategy.
• Qpex Biopharma: BLI-focused antibacterial developer with xeruborbactam (MBL inhibitor) partnered with BioMérieux; shares AdjuTec's strategy of pairing novel BLIs with existing β-lactams to overcome resistance.
• Allecra Therapeutics: European antibacterial company developing β-lactamase inhibitor combinations (enmetazobactam) for ESBL-producing pathogens; closely comparable pre-commercial AMR niche player.

Broad incumbents

• Pfizer: Large pharma with significant antibiotic and AMR investments (including past work by AdjuTec CEO Jethro Holter) and pipeline of BLI combinations; both a potential partner and competitor for late-stage development.
• BioMérieux: Major in-vitro diagnostics and AMR-detection company; already partnered with Qpex Biopharma on BLI development — indicative of a likely commercial counterparty / channel for AMR therapy developers like AdjuTec.
• Shionogi: Global pharmaceutical company with the cefiderocol (siderophore cephalosporin) franchise and active AMR BLI programmes; broad incumbent in the same antibacterial resistance space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AdjutecPharma

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

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 AdjuTec Pharma