CEO leading Curza's first-in-class antibiotic program against drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria — filling a gap no new class has addressed in nearly 50 years.
Chad Testa
person active confidence: Medium status: Draft updated 2026-06-21
Summary
Chad Testa is the CEO of Curza, a University of Utah spinout in Salt Lake City developing novel antibiotics for drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Antimicrobial resistance is a large global health problem, but this page's former mortality projections were not supported by an existing wiki source.
Impact
Antimicrobial resistance is a large global health problem, but this page's former mortality projections were not supported by an existing wiki source. Testa leads a Utah company targeting hard-to-treat Gram-negative pathogens.
Curza reports a DTRA partnership with University of Florida collaborators, signaling that ESKAPE pathogens are also a biodefense priority; the award amount requires a captured government record.
What They Offer
- Direct operational experience running a grant-funded biotech spinout through preclinical and IND-preparation stages
- Deep familiarity with DTRA, NIH, CARB-X, and impact-investment funding for AMR programs
- University of Utah technology-transfer and licensing navigation experience
- Mission-driven leadership model for pharma work where standard commercial incentives are absent
What They're Looking For
Testa and Curza need medicinal chemists, microbiologists, and ribosome biochemists for the lead program; CMC and regulatory support for IND preparation; and additional government and impact grant connections to fund through Phase 1 and beyond. Operators motivated by AMR mission and biodefense relevance rather than typical VC pharma return timelines tend to fit best.
Track Record
- CEO of Curza and operator of a grant- and impact-funded biotechnology company
- Led a DTRA partnership with University of Florida collaborators
- Managed CARB-X and Novo Holdings REPAIR Fund relationships
- University of Utah spinout commercialization in a notoriously difficult market
Good Fits
- AMR-focused researchers looking for a clinical-stage Utah biotech where their work connects directly to ESKAPE pathogen treatment
- Grant-writers and government-relations advisors with DTRA or NIH biodefense experience
- Impact investors and family offices interested in AMR as a mission-aligned portfolio area
Public Connection Path
Curza official channels; University of Utah Research and Innovation or licensing contacts; CARB-X and Novo REPAIR Fund networks; AMR conference circuit (ASM Microbe, ID Week).
Evidence
- Curza — company he leads
See Also
- Curza — venture page with full program detail
- Atavistik Bio — another U of U spinout pushing into underdrugged mechanism space
- Dave Bearss — U of U-adjacent life-science leader and U2TAH senior managing director
Open Questions
- Has CZ-02 entered Phase 1 clinical trials, and what are the initial safety and PK results?
- What reimbursement or pull-incentive model does Testa plan if Phase 3 succeeds, given broken antibiotic commercialization economics?
- How does the DTRA nine-year partnership timeline map against Curza's near-term fundraising and operating runway?