Our Company
Protecting Healing, Preserving Possibility
Gavia BIO is a biotechnology company spun out of the University of Minnesota that’s developing a new generation of antimicrobial peptide therapeutics addressing one of medicine's most urgent challenges: antibiotic resistance. Its mission is to eliminate drug-resistant bacteria without creating new ones.
Our work has earned support through the NIH's Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program, reflecting the scientific merit and commercial potential of our antimicrobial peptide approach.
As our first therapy, Minneganan™ (DGL13K), advances through the development process, Gavia remains committed to the same principles that earned this early support: technical rigor, thoughtful collaboration and evidence-based innovation.
Nathan Allen
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Sven-Ulrik Gorr, PhD
Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer
Nathan Allen
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Nathan Allen is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Gavia BIO, where he leads the company's strategy, commercialization and product development efforts as it advances Minneganan™, a novel antimicrobial peptide therapeutic designed to address antibiotic resistance in burn care. A biomedical engineer with extensive experience translating emerging technologies into clinically relevant products, Nathan is passionate about bridging scientific innovation with real-world healthcare needs.
Throughout his career, Nathan has led product strategy and development initiatives focused on accelerating the adoption of breakthrough technologies. At Gavia BIO, he works closely with researchers, clinicians and strategic partners to guide the company's growth from university innovation to commercial-stage therapy. His leadership combines engineering discipline, customer-centered product development and a commitment to improving outcomes for patients confronting dangerous wounds and facing serious infections.
Sven-Ulrik Gorr, PhD
Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer
Dr. Sven-Ulrik Gorr is Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Gavia BIO and a Professor of Basic Sciences at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. An internationally recognized biochemist and microbiologist, his research has focused on antimicrobial peptides, bacterial resistance mechanisms and the development of innovative therapeutics to address the growing global challenge of antibiotic resistance. His laboratory investigates how engineered antimicrobial peptides can overcome resistance mechanisms while maintaining broad-spectrum activity and favorable safety profiles, with the goal of translating fundamental scientific discoveries into clinically meaningful therapies.
Dr. Gorr's pioneering research led to the discovery and development of Minneganan™, also named DGL13K, Gavia BIO's lead antimicrobial peptide therapeutic. He has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed scientific publications, holds multiple patents, and has led research supported by the National Institutes of Health and other competitive funding organizations. In recognition of his contributions to biomedical research and international scientific collaboration, he was selected as a 2026-2027 Fulbright U.S. Scholar.