New Partnership Sees Basilea Support INCATE in Expanding Antifungal and Antibacterial Drug Development

New Partnership Sees Basilea Support INCATE in Expanding Antifungal and Antibacterial Drug Development

(IN BRIEF) Basilea Pharmaceutica has partnered with INCATE, the European incubator for antibacterial therapies, to support the advancement of early-stage anti-infective innovations. As an industry partner, Basilea brings deep expertise in antibacterial and antifungal drug development, while expanding INCATE’s scope to include antifungal therapies for the first time. The collaboration aims to bridge the gap between academic research and industry development, helping promising preclinical concepts progress toward clinical and commercial application. The partnership also strengthens Basel’s position as a hub for innovation in infectious disease research and therapy development.

(PRESS RELEASE) ALLSCHWIL, 13-Jan-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd has entered into a new partnership with INCATE, the INCubator for Antibacterial Therapies in Europe, marking a strategic step to accelerate innovation in the fight against serious infectious diseases. Through this collaboration, Basilea becomes an industry partner within INCATE, contributing its extensive experience across preclinical research, clinical development, and commercialization of anti-infective therapies.

The partnership represents a notable expansion of INCATE’s mission. For the first time, the incubator will formally include antifungal therapies alongside its existing focus on antibacterial innovation. This move reflects the growing and often overlooked burden of invasive fungal infections, particularly among immunocompromised and other vulnerable patient populations. By broadening INCATE’s scope, the collaboration aims to address urgent unmet medical needs where treatment options remain limited.

As part of the partnership, Basilea will support INCATE in identifying high-potential early-stage antibacterial and antifungal projects and in advancing them toward clinical relevance. The company’s expertise is expected to strengthen the transition from academic and preclinical discoveries to development-ready assets that can ultimately be taken forward through industrial partnerships. The initiative is designed to close the gap between scientific innovation and real-world patient impact.

Leaders from both organizations emphasize the importance of closer collaboration between academia and industry in overcoming the scientific and economic challenges of anti-infective drug development. The partnership is also seen as reinforcing Basel’s role as a leading European hub for infectious disease research, where universities, research institutions, and pharmaceutical companies work together within a highly collaborative ecosystem.

By combining INCATE’s network of academic excellence and entrepreneurial support with Basilea’s proven capabilities in antibacterial and antifungal development, the collaboration aims to strengthen the early-stage pipeline of new therapies. The shared objective is to ensure that promising concepts are not lost at an early stage, but instead progress toward medicines that can make a meaningful difference for patients facing life-threatening infections.

About INCATE

INCATE is a not-for-profit partnership which brings together translational and basic research, industry, experienced entrepreneurs, and investors from across Europe and beyond. The German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), the Leibniz:HKI (part of Leibniz Association) in Germany, the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research AntiResist, the University of Basel are the academic founding members of INCATE with the University of Basel acting as the host. Together with the four industry partners Basilea, Roche, Shionogi and MSD as well as other organizations, funders and investors, INCATE want to ensure that the pipeline of new antibiotics, antifungals and technology platforms is filled and strengthened. For more information, please visit www.incate.net.

About Basilea

Basilea is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2000 and headquartered in Switzerland. We are committed to discovering, developing and commercializing innovative drugs to meet the needs of patients with severe bacterial and fungal infections. We have successfully launched two hospital brands, Cresemba for the treatment of invasive fungal infections and Zevtera for the treatment of bacterial infections. In addition, we have preclinical and clinical anti-infective assets in our portfolio. Basilea is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: BSLN). Please visit basilea.com.

Disclaimer

This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements, such as “believe”, “assume”, “expect”, “forecast”, “project”, “may”, “could”, “might”, “will” or similar expressions concerning Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil and its business, including with respect to the progress, timing and completion of research, development and clinical studies for product candidates. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Media Contact:

Peer Nils Schröder, PhD
Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
Basilea Pharmaceutica International Ltd, Allschwil
Hegenheimermattweg 167b
4123 Allschwil
Switzerland
Phone+41 61 606 1102
E-mailmedia_relations@basilea.com
investor_relations@basilea.com

SOURCE: Basilea