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Salt Lake City, UT

Developing an inhaled antimicrobial candidate and funding IND-enabling studies to move into first-in-human trials for drug-resistant lung infections.

• IND-enabling preclinical program: The funding supports IND-enabling safety and efficacy work for EVQ-218, including MTD studies, GLP repeat-dose toxicology, PK/PD and ADME assessments, genotoxicity and hERG testing, cardiopulmonary evaluations, and a ferret efficacy model.
• Inhaled broad-spectrum antimicrobial: EVQ-218 is an inhaled therapeutic designed for drug-resistant pulmonary infections, aiming to maintain antimicrobial performance against challenging pathogens.
• Peer-reviewed antimicrobial evidence: Research published in ACS Omega and Antibiotics describes the platform architecture and reports broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity with no observed resistance over 30 serial passages under conditions where standard-of-care antibiotics showed reduced performance.
• FDA preclinical-to-clinical pathway: The company has engaged with the FDA through a Pre-IND meeting while preparing the program for transition into clinical trials.
• Cystic fibrosis as the initial focus: Development targets cystic fibrosis pulmonary exacerbations first, with potential future expansion to broader pulmonary and infectious disease indications.

EVOQ Bio is using this funding to complete FDA IND-enabling preclinical studies for EVQ-218, an inhaled antimicrobial candidate for drug-resistant lung infections. The planned work includes maximum tolerated dose studies in non-GLP and GLP settings, GLP 14/28-day repeat-dose toxicology in two species, and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic, plus ADME, evaluations. It also covers genotoxicity and safety testing, including Ames, micronucleus, and hERG assessments, along with cardiopulmonary safety evaluations and a ferret efficacy model. These activities are intended to generate the safety and performance package required to submit an Investigational New Drug application and advance toward first-in-human trials.

EVQ-218 is engineered using a nanoscale metamaterial platform designed to address antimicrobial resistance through a physical multi-target mechanism rather than chemical binding alone. Peer-reviewed research in ACS Omega describes the platform’s nanoscale architecture, and a study in Antibiotics reports broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity with no observed resistance over 30 serial passages under conditions where standard-of-care antibiotics showed reduced performance. Additional testing using patient-derived samples supports activity against diverse clinical isolates, including multidrug-resistant strains. The company is advancing EVQ-218 toward clinical trials after engaging with the FDA through a Pre-IND meeting. In parallel, the development plan targets cystic fibrosis pulmonary exacerbations as an initial indication, with potential expansion to broader pulmonary and infectious disease settings supported by licensing and strategic partnerships.

Company Info

EVOQ Bio is developing EVQ-218, an inhaled antimicrobial therapeutic for multidrug-resistant lung infections based on engineered nanoscale materials.

EVOQ Bio is a pre-clinical drug development company engineering EVQ-218, an inhaled antimicrobial candidate designed for multidrug-resistant lung infections. Its platform is built on engineered nanoscale materials intended to interfere with multiple pathogen targets, aiming to maintain activity under conditions where conventional antibiotics lose effectiveness. Research on the platform characterizes its physical architecture and supports broad-spectrum activity across diverse clinical isolates.

The company advances EVQ-218 through preclinical development toward an Investigational New Drug filing. Work includes safety and toxicology studies and performance characterization designed to inform subsequent clinical evaluation, alongside regulatory planning based on FDA interactions. The organization is supported by leadership with expertise spanning development, scientific research, regulatory strategy, and legal and medical oversight.