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§ Private Profile · Boston, MA, USA
Biotech company developing live bacterial skin microbiome therapeutics for skin diseases, using a discovery platform based on over 5,000 microbes.
Based in Boston, Massachusetts, DermBiont is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that develops live bacterial skin microbiome therapeutics and small molecule treatments for various dermatological diseases by targeting root causes. The organization utilizes a specialized discovery platform containing over 5,000 microbes isolated from human skin to identify targeted treatments for conditions such as atopic dermatitis, tinea pedis, and hyperpigmentation. Operating with a workforce of 38 employees, the enterprise has completed seven total funding rounds to advance its clinical trials and ongoing research and development initiatives. DermBiont recently secured an $8 million Series A financing round led by a syndicate of prominent institutional investors including Zola Global Investors, Toba Capital, and Viking Global Investors. Following an early incubation period at Olive Tree Capital, the company was officially founded in 2017 by Karl Beutner, Robert Brucker, and Nichola Eliovits.
DermBiont has raised $71.2M across 3 funding rounds.
DermBiont has raised $71.2M in total across 3 funding rounds.
DermBiont has raised $71.2M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $35.2M Series B in October 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 24, 2023 | $35.2M Series B | Daniel Yadegar | Civilization Ventures, Olive Tree Capital, Viking Global Investors | Announced |
| Dec 1, 2021 | $28M Series A | — | Pivotal BioVenture Partners, Civilization Ventures, Olive Tree Capital, Jeni LEE, Toba Capital, Viking Global Investors | Announced |
| Jun 18, 2019 | $8M Series A | Toba Capital, Viking Global Investors, Zola Global | Mark DE Souza | Announced |
DermBiont has raised $71.2M in total across 3 funding rounds.
DermBiont's investors include Daniel Yadegar, Civilization Ventures, Olive Tree Capital, Viking Global Investors, Pivotal bioVenture Partners, Jeni Lee, Toba Capital, Zola Global, Mark De Souza.
DermBiont is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing targeted topical therapeutics for dermatological conditions, focusing on small molecule and microbiome-based treatments that address root causes rather than symptoms. Its pipeline targets high-prevalence indications like seborrheic keratoses (SKs), basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), and melasma, with lead candidates SM-020 (an Akt inhibitor for SKs and BCCs) and SM-030 (a PKC-beta inhibitor for melasma) both in Phase 2 trials.[1][2][3][5] DermBiont serves patients with common skin diseases, including benign tumors, skin cancers, and hyperpigmentation disorders, solving the limitations of existing therapies that offer modest efficacy and require invasive procedures like surgery.[1][2] The company shows strong growth momentum, having completed enrollment in a Phase 2b trial for SM-020 in SKs by early 2024 and anticipating FDA alignment for Phase 3, positioning it as a leader in precision dermatology.[2]
DermBiont was co-founded by Karl Beutner (CEO), Nichola Eliovits (CBO and CFO), and Robert Brucker (Chief Scientific Officer), leveraging their expertise in dermatology, business, and computational biology.[2][6] The idea emerged from recognizing gaps in dermatology treatments—symptom-focused therapies with limited efficacy—and advanced by building a proprietary platform using terabytes of skin microbiome DNA sequencing data from healthy and diseased samples.[1] Early traction includes advancing multiple candidates into clinical stages, with pivotal moments like the 2024 Phase 2b enrollment completion for SM-020 and promising interim data for non-surgical SK and BCC treatments.[2] Leadership expansions, such as Chief Medical Officer Emma Taylor and COO Max Dawson, along with board members like Wilder Ramsey, support its evolution from discovery to clinical biotech.[6]
DermBiont rides the precision medicine wave in dermatology, fueled by microbiome research and computational biology to tackle the $20B+ global skincare market where 80% of treatments fail root causes.[1] Timing aligns with rising demand for non-invasive topicals amid aging populations and skin cancer prevalence (e.g., BCC as the most common cancer), plus post-pandemic tele-dermatology growth.[2] Market forces like FDA fast-tracking for dermatologic rares (e.g., Gorlin) and investor interest in biotech platforms favor it, as seen in pre-IPO trading availability.[6] It influences the ecosystem by pioneering microbiome-driven derm therapeutics, potentially disrupting incumbents like Curology and inspiring platforms like Benchling for biotech R&D.[6]
DermBiont is poised for Phase 3 advancement in 2025+, with SM-020 topline data potentially unlocking NDA paths and partnerships in oncology-aesthetics derm. Trends like AI-enhanced drug discovery and microbiome therapeutics will accelerate its platform, expanding to more indications amid biotech funding recovery. Its influence could grow via acquisitions or IPO, transforming patient access to curative topicals—echoing its mission to lead precision dermatology from root-cause innovation.[2][4]