Gokhan Batur has been an independent director of Santero since January 2024. His proven ability to guide pharma businesses and biotechnology companies – from early-stage development through major commercial milestones including antibiotics field –will be a considerable asset for Santero as we advance our preclinical pipeline. We look forward to being able to count on his vision and expertise to successfully carry out the new phase of Santero's preclinical development together.
Gokhan Batur is also CEO of Alkapharmics, a Swiss biotechnology company active in anti-inflammatory diseases, and Venture Partner at XGEN Venture, an Italian venture capital firm. He was previously CEO of Polyphor, a publicly traded Swiss biotechnology company specializing in oncology and infectious diseases. He has also held several management positions at Merck Co Inc, including Executive Director, Global Commercial Head Antibiotics Portfolio, in charge of Merck's entire antibiotics portfolio.
We asked him a few questions about his vision of Santero and his new role as Chairman.
What led you to join Santero Therapeutics as a director and to accept the position of chairman of the board of directors?
I was first introduced to Santero Therapeutics through Newton Capital, one of its investors. I’ve always admired the Belgian biotech ecosystem for its robust innovation, exceptional talent, and supportive investor community. Santero’s cutting-edge approach to antibiotic development—and its strong investor backing, having already raised €10.5 million—clearly demonstrated real confidence in the company’s vision. In addition, the founders’ collaborative culture convinced me that I could make a meaningful contribution, both strategically and operationally, to help the team reach its ambitious goals. I’m honored to serve in the board of directors and now as a chairman.
What most appealed to you about the mission and projects of Santero Therapeutics?
Santero is advancing a brand-new class of antibiotics with the potential to address broader unmet medical needs beyond classical indication pursued by recent programs. What truly drew me to Santero Therapeutics’ mission is their focus on a known but notoriously challenging enzyme—one previously considered “undruggable.” The enzyme is found in bacteria but not in mammalian cells, which makes it a viable target and potentially reduces the usual toxicity risks in antibiotic development. Equally compelling is the platform technology that the founding team has created, incorporating machine learning to rapidly screen and optimize compounds with a notably high hit rate. This approach makes it possible to address both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as tough or long-term infections that typically require prolonged antibiotic therapies. Overall, Santero’s unique scientific strategy and potential to redefine how we tackle bacterial infections, a field that we’ve a great opportunity to make public healthcare impact, resonated deeply with me.
How do you see your role as chairman of the board of directors?
My motto is always about creating clarity in everything we do—what we do, why we do it, and how we do it. As Chairman, I see my role as ensuring the team and the Board share a clear, unified understanding of Santero’s vision, the plan to achieve it, and the progress we’re making at every step. By fostering transparency, alignment, and open communication, I aim to help drive robust and meaningful results for the company.
What will be the main opportunities and challenges for Santero in the coming months?
Our first major opportunity stems from the significant milestone we achieved at the end of 2024—demonstrating in vivo proof of concept with our new class of antibiotics against Gram-positive bacteria. Now, the scientific challenge is to replicate this success for Gram-negative bacteria, broadening our platform’s scope, progressing to a lead compound and preparing for IND-enabling studies in the future.
On the financial side, we’re actively working toward our next round of fundraising, targeting a closing in Q4 2025 or Q1 2026. The antibiotic space can be challenging for investors, so it’s imperative that we articulate a clear and compelling plan—one that focuses on clinically attractive indications and differentiates us from traditional antibiotic companies. By addressing these scientific and financial priorities effectively, we can position Santero for long-term growth and impact in infectious disease treatment.