Basilea joins INCATE to support antifungal innovation
January 13, 2026 — INCATE (INCubator for Antibacterial Therapies in Europe), the antimicrobial incubator supporting the advancement of early stage anti-infectives, announced today a partnership with Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil (SIX: BSLN), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to meeting the needs of patients with severe bacterial and fungal infections.
Basilea is joining INCATE as an industry partner, bringing extensive preclinical, clinical, and commercial expertise in anti-infectives and, for the first time, expanding INCATE’s scope to include antifungals, hence addressing the critical need for novel antifungal therapies. Through this partnership, Basilea will help INCATE to identify and support the most promising early-stage innovations and strengthen the bridge between emerging ideas and real-world medical needs.
“We are thrilled to welcome Basilea as an industry partner — this is an important milestone for INCATE and a testament to its growing impact and credibility in the field.” said Prof. Dr. Primo Schär, Vice President for Research at the University of Basel and member of the INCATE board. “This partnership further solidifies Basel’s unique position as a global hub for innovation in infectious disease therapies, where scientific excellence, industry leadership, and a spirit of collaboration converge in a thriving ecosystem. Basilea’s deep expertise in antibacterial and antifungal development will be instrumental in accelerating the discovery and advancement of groundbreaking therapeutic solutions.”
Dr. Laurenz Kellenberger, Chief Scientific Officer of Basilea, said: “Invasive fungal infections are a serious and growing health challenge, particularly for vulnerable patient populations, which continue to increase in number. Through this partnership with INCATE, we aim to share our expertise in anti-infective development and help advance promising early-stage antifungal approaches into therapies that deliver meaningful clinical impact.”
Through this partnership, Basilea will contribute industry insight to INCATE’s activities, supporting the advancement of early-stage antifungal and antibacterial projects and a shared commitment to overcoming long-standing barriers in antimicrobial innovation.
About Basilea Pharmaceutica
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.
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 contact:
helena.costa.pereira@incate.net or +49 176 46172549
