Artios Pharma Raises $115M Series D to Advance DNA Damage Response Cancer Therapies
Key Insights
Artios Pharma (search) completed an oversubscribed $115 million Series D financing round co-led by SV Health Investors (search) and RA Capital Management (search) to advance its DNA damage response cancer programs.
The funding will expand Phase 2 trials for lead candidate alnodesertib (search) in ATM (search)-negative pancreatic and colorectal cancer (search) patients, following FDA Fast Track Designation and 50% response rates in Phase 1/2a trials.
Proceeds will also initiate a randomized Phase 2 study for ART6043, a potential first-in-class DNA polymerase theta (search) inhibitor, in BRCA (search)-mutant breast cancer (search) patients eligible for PARP inhibitor (search) therapy.
Artios Pharma (search) Limited announced the successful completion of an oversubscribed $115 million Series D financing round on November 17, 2025, marking a significant milestone for the Cambridge-based biopharmaceutical company focused on DNA damage response (DDR) therapeutics in cancer treatment. The round was co-led by founding investor SV Health Investors (search) and new investor RA Capital Management (search), with participation from new investor Janus Henderson Investors alongside broad support from existing investors.
Advancing Lead ATR Inhibitor Program
The Series D proceeds will primarily expand clinical evaluation of Artios' lead program, alnodesertib (search), an ATR inhibitor targeting ATM (search)-negative patients in second-line pancreatic cancer (search) and third-line colorectal cancer (search). The program recently received U.S. FDA Fast Track Designation, underscoring the regulatory recognition of its potential therapeutic value.
At the AACR meeting in April 2025, Artios reported compelling clinical data for alnodesertib (search) in combination with low-dose irinotecan, demonstrating a 50% confirmed overall response rate in patients with ATM (search)-negative solid tumors (search) at the recommended Phase 2 dose in the STELLA Phase 1/2a trial. Notably, there are currently no approved therapies specifically for patients whose tumors harbor ATM-deficiency, representing a significant unmet medical need where alnodesertib has demonstrated durable responses across eight different solid tumor types.
Expanding Pipeline with DNA Polymerase Theta Inhibitor
The financing will also enable Artios to initiate a Phase 2 randomized clinical trial for its second potential first-in-class candidate, ART6043, a DNA polymerase theta (search) (Polθ) inhibitor. This program targets patients with BRCA (search)-mutant HER2-negative breast cancer (search) who are eligible to receive a PARP inhibitor (search), addressing another area of high unmet medical need.
ART6043 demonstrated an attractive tolerability profile, expected pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic activity, and promising clinical signals in data from a Phase 1/2a study presented at the ESMO Congress in September 2025. The company is also advancing a first-in-class and highly differentiated DDR inhibitor-Antibody Drug Conjugate (DDRi-ADC) program and expects to name a lead candidate in Q1 2026.
Strategic Investment and Leadership Perspectives
"This Series D accelerates our potential path to registration for both alnodesertib (search) and ART6043, broadening development for the next generation of DNA damage response (DDR) therapeutics to indications among the highest of unmet need across pancreatic, colorectal, and breast cancers, where median survival is often measured in months," said Mike Andriole, Chief Executive Officer of Artios.
Nikola Trbovic, Managing Partner at SV Health Investors (search), emphasized the company's evolution: "We are thrilled to have supported Artios' evolution, from an early-stage DDR pioneer when we founded the company to the established company it has become, distinguished by a promising and differentiated pipeline."
Jake Simson, Partner at RA Capital Management (search), highlighted the therapeutic potential: "Artios' differentiated clinical programs, alnodesertib (search) and ART6043, together have the potential to meaningfully expand the impact of DDR-targeted therapies. The rate and durability of responses observed to date for alnodesertib across a range of solid tumors (search) and the early clinical results with ART6043 underscore the strength of Artios' approach."
Comprehensive Investor Support
The Series D round attracted a diverse group of investors including Andera Partners, Avidity Partners, EQT Life Sciences, Invus, IP Group (search) plc, Janus Henderson Investors, M Ventures, Novartis Venture Fund, Omega Funds, Pfizer Ventures, Piper Heartland, RA Capital Management (search), Sofinnova Partners, Schroders Capital, and SV Health Investors (search). IP Group plc invested £5.5 million from its balance sheet and maintains a 6.8% undiluted beneficial holding in Artios following the completion.
Targeting Critical Cancer Pathways
Artios is pioneering next-generation approaches in the DNA damage response field through its comprehensive anti-cancer approach. The company's clinical-stage candidates are designed with differentiated pharmaceutical properties and novel biological approaches to precisely eliminate cancer cells' remaining survival mechanisms. The focus on DDR pathways represents a strategic approach to developing new classes of medicines aimed at improving outcomes for patients with hard-to-treat cancers, where current therapeutic options remain limited and survival outcomes are often poor.