What Fimbrion Therapeutics does

Fimbrion Therapeutics is a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2012 and based in St. Louis, Missouri. The company develops antimicrobial-sparing therapeutics that target bacterial virulence mechanisms rather than bacterial viability, with the goal of treating and preventing infections while preserving the microbiome and mitigating antimicrobial resistance. Its core programs address two indications: recurrent and complicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by uropathogenic E. coli, and tuberculosis including multidrug-resistant TB. Fimbrion operates with 1-10 employees and has no commercialized products.

The company's platform rests on mannoside-based FimH antagonists and heterocyclic QcrB inhibitors. The lead asset, GSK3882347, is an orally bioavailable mannose-containing small molecule that blocks the FimH adhesin, preventing uropathogenic E. coli from binding to bladder walls and enabling natural clearance; it entered Phase I clinical trials in 2020 under GlaxoSmithKline, which holds development and commercialization rights via a 2016 Discovery Partnerships with Academia (DPAc) collaboration. A complementary program includes FimH-targeting monoclonal antibodies and biologics for complicated UTIs. The tuberculosis program is built on QcrB inhibitors in-licensed from Saint Louis University and developed in the lab of co-founder Christina Stallings at Washington University, supported by NIH SBIR Phase I (2021) and Phase II (2024) awards. The company controls more than 40 US-granted patents across its co-founders and is led by an academic-scientist founding team with deep expertise in microbiology, medicinal chemistry, and infectious disease clinical practice.

Fimbrion's business model is pre-commercial and asset-centric: it generates no product revenue today and has not disclosed pricing for any future approved drug. Future revenue mechanics are described as licensing and royalties, with GSK effectively serving as the sole commercial counterparty for the lead asset. The company funds operations through a mix of non-dilutive sources, including NIH SBIR grants (Phase I and Phase II) and a $7.51 million CARB-X award directed to GSK for Phase I development of GSK3882347, alongside early-stage support from BioSTL/Biogenerator. Customer segments are defined by disease (recurrent UTI patients, complicated UTI patients, TB patients including MDR-TB) rather than direct B2B buyers, and distribution is anticipated to flow through GSK's global pharmaceutical network upon regulatory approval.

Name

Fimbrion Therapeutics

Legal name

Fimbrion Therapeutics, Inc.

Website

https://fimbrion.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fimbrion Therapeutics is a St. Louis-based, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing antimicrobial-sparing antivirulence drugs, including the Phase I FimH antagonist GSK3882347 partnered with GSK for recurrent UTIs and preclinical QcrB inhibitors for tuberculosis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Development: Pre-revenue biopharmaceutical company focused on drug discovery, development, and commercialization of novel antimicrobial-sparing therapeutics. No commercialized products yet.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Fimbrion Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing antimicrobial-sparing antivirulence drugs that target bacterial adhesion (FimH) and virulence (QcrB) mechanisms rather than bacterial viability. Its lead clinical asset GSK3882347, an oral mannoside FimH antagonist partnered with GSK, has entered Phase I trials for recurrent urinary tract infections, supported by a pipeline of QcrB inhibitors for tuberculosis and FimH-targeting monoclonal antibodies for complicated UTIs.

Product overview

Fimbrion Therapeutics is developing a pipeline of antimicrobial-sparing antivirulence drugs targeting bacterial adhesion mechanisms rather than bacterial viability. The core portfolio includes GSK3882347, an oral mannoside FimH antagonist (Phase I clinical trials), QcrB inhibitors for tuberculosis (preclinical), and FimH-targeting monoclonal antibodies/biologics for complicated UTIs. The mannoside technology platform underlies the UTI program and was developed with NIH SBIR funding and licensed from Washington University.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GSK3882347 (Mannoside FimH Antagonist) Orally bioavailable mannose-containing small molecule that targets the FimH adhesive protein on uropathogenic E. coli, preventing the bacteria from sticking to bladder walls and enabling natural elimination of infection; intended for treatment and prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections. Entered Phase I clinical trials co-developed with GSK.
• QcrB Inhibitors (Tuberculosis Program) Heterocyclic compounds with inhibitory and bactericidal activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, targeting the QcrB protein in the respiratory electron transport chain with low-nanomolar potency and a potentially superior resistance profile relative to clinical-stage comparator Q203. Developed for treatment of drug-sensitive and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.
• FimH-Targeting Monoclonal Antibodies and Biologics Monoclonal antibodies and biologics targeting the bacterial FimH adhesin, intended for use in patients with complicated urinary tract infections as an antibiotic-sparing, narrow-spectrum therapeutic approach.

Quantifiable outcome

• Phase I clinical trials commenced for GSK3882347
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 September 2020GSK partnered with Fimbrion in 2016 through the Discovery Partnerships with Academia (DPAc) team to accelerate lead optimization efforts. The collaboration led to selection of GSK3882347 as a clinical candidate in 2018. CARB-X awarded $7.51 million to GSK for Phase I clinical development of this novel oral antibacterial therapy for UTIs, co-developed with Fimbrion. Fimbrion continues to actively support clinical development with ongoing preclinical research studies.
• Washington University in St. LouiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFimbrion was founded in 2012 from intellectual property licensed from Washington University School of Medicine. Mannoside technology originated in laboratories of co-founders Scott Hultgren and James Janetka at Washington University. Thomas Hannan maintains part-time faculty appointment at Washington University School of Medicine. Christina Stallings is also a professor at Washington University.
• Saint Louis UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFimbrion in-licensed intellectual property for QcrB inhibitor series from Saint Louis University in addition to Washington University, for compounds targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Iterum Therapeutics: Iterum is developing sulopenem, an oral and IV antibacterial for uncomplicated and complicated UTIs caused by resistant pathogens. Like Fimbrion, it is a small-cap specialty antibacterial company focused squarely on the UTI market and faces the same regulatory, stewardship, and commercialization dynamics.
• Utility Therapeutics: Utility Therapeutics is developing pivmecillinam (an oral antibacterial) for uncomplicated UTIs in the US market. It is one of the closest pure-play UTI antibacterial comparables to Fimbrion's lead program and operates in the same regulatory and prescriber environment.

Emerging players

• Cidara Therapeutics: Cidara is developing antiviral and antifungal biologics, including its Cloudbreak antiviral-conjugate platform targeting serious infections. Its focus on immune-engaging anti-infective biologics makes it a relevant comparable for Fimbrion's FimH monoclonal antibody program and broader anti-infective biologics strategy.
• VenatoRx Pharmaceuticals: VenatoRx is a private anti-infective company developing both antibacterial and antiviral agents, including beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations targeting resistant pathogens. As a similarly sized private anti-infective biotech, it represents a relevant peer in stage, focus, and funding profile.

Broad incumbents

• Melinta Therapeutics: Melinta commercialized delafloxacin (Baxdela) and the meropenem/vaborbactam combination (Vabomere), both antibacterials targeting drug-resistant infections. Like Fimbrion's target commercial environment, Melinta navigated the challenging economics of launching novel antibacterials in a stewardship-constrained market and ultimately underwent restructuring.
• Entasis Therapeutics: Entasis developed sulbactam-durlobactam (Xacduro) for Acinetobacter baumannii infections and was acquired by Innoviva. It is a directly comparable targeted antibacterial company whose portfolio focus on resistant Gram-negative infections mirrors Fimbrion's UTIs caused by uropathogenic E. coli.
• Nabriva Therapeutics: Nabriva developed and commercialized lefamulin (Xenleta), a pleuromutilin antibiotic approved for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. It is a small-cap specialty antibacterial company pursuing a comparable playbook of developing differentiated mechanism-of-action drugs against resistant pathogens.
• Summit Therapeutics: Summit has developed ridinilazole for C. difficile infection and is investing in antibacterial and anti-infective development. While larger and more diversified, it operates in the same antibacterial development space and faces similar commercial challenges around novel-mechanism antibiotics.
• Tetraphase Biosciences: Tetraphase developed eravacycline (Xerava), an IV fluorocycline antibiotic approved for complicated intra-abdominal infections. It is a directly comparable specialty antibacterial biotech that ultimately was acquired by La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company, illustrating the typical M&A exit path for this category.
• Paratek Pharmaceuticals: Paratek developed and commercialized omadacycline (Nuzyra), a modern tetracycline antibiotic approved for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia and skin infections. It is a directly comparable specialty antibacterial company that has navigated FDA approval, commercialization, and ultimately an acquisition by Innoviva.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fimbrion

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Fimbrion Therapeutics