Akthelia Pharmaceuticals

Akthelia Pharmaceuticals is developing novel antibiotics based on small molecules that stimulate the body’s innate defenses to fight infections. This drug development builds on research conducted at the University of Iceland and the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm. Unlike traditional antibiotics, these drugs represent a new therapeutic approach by enhancing natural immunity. They could prove especially valuable in combating bacterial strains that are resistant to conventional treatments. Akthelia has filed two patent applications to protect its core technology. Preclinical and clinical studies are underway to test its effectiveness against gastrointestinal and respiratory infections. The company is seeking strategic partners to co-finance continued drug development. Akthelia Pharmaceuticals was founded by Icelandic and Swedish scientists Eiríkur Steingrímsson, Guðmundur H. Guðmundsson, Anna Birgitta Agerberth, and Kurt Roger Strömberg.