A new biotechnology company, Avidicure, has launched with an impressive $50 million seed financing round to develop a novel multifunctional antibody platform targeting cancer. The Netherlands-based company announced its launch on April 24, 2025, with backing from EQT Life Sciences, which led the round, along with Kurma Partners, BioGeneration Ventures, BOM, Curie Capital, and V-Bio Ventures.
Avidicure aims to revolutionize cancer treatment with its proprietary platform technology based on dual agonistic, multifunctional and avidity engineered antibodies, called AVC-Boosters. These novel antibody constructs are designed to safely deliver targeted and potent cancer monotherapy by unlocking strong and orchestrated immunological responses that harness both the innate and adaptive immune system.
"AVC-Boosters have the potential to change the treatment landscape for a wide range of cancers as first-in-class multifunctional antibody products that safely mobilize the full power of the immune system," said Arthur Lahr, Chief Executive Officer of Avidicure. "Our products drive targeted and potent immune responses only in the tumor with reduced toxicity risk. We are eager to build a broad pipeline with our unique platform and progress our lead oncology product, AVC-S-101, into clinical development for solid tumors."
The Technology Behind AVC-Boosters
According to Avidicure, their AVC-Boosters represent a significant advancement over existing antibody technologies. The company claims the design incorporates and improves upon the best qualities of first-generation antibodies, checkpoint inhibitors, T-cell engagers, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).
The platform leverages decades of antibody engineering expertise, in-silico protein design capabilities, and immunology knowledge. A key advantage is its plug-and-play functionality, which provides flexibility for developing multiple products targeting different cancer types.
Joern-Peter Halle, PhD, former Chief Strategy Officer and Global Head of Research at Merck KGaA and chairman of Avidicure's scientific advisory board, emphasized the novelty of the approach: "Avidicure is taking an entirely new approach with broad clinical potential. Avidicure's multifunctional antibodies provide a novel treatment modality with a unique, differentiated mode of action. These products are well-positioned to make a significant impact in the treatment of cancer patients."
Lead Program Targeting Trop2
Avidicure's lead product, AVC-S-101, targets Trop2, a transmembrane glycoprotein that functions as an intracellular calcium signal transducer. Trop2 is differentially expressed in many cancers and plays crucial roles in cellular self-renewal, proliferation, invasion, and survival. While expressed in normal tissues, Trop2 is significantly overexpressed in numerous cancer types.
AVC-S-101 is being developed initially for non-small cell lung cancer, with plans to expand into multiple other indications. The company believes its approach to targeting Trop2 could offer advantages over existing therapies by boosting immune responses specifically within the tumor microenvironment while minimizing systemic toxicity.
Experienced Leadership Team
Avidicure has assembled an experienced management team to drive its ambitious development plans. The leadership includes Arthur Lahr as CEO, Dirk De Naeyer as Chief Operating Officer, Robert Friesen as Chief Scientific Officer, and Govert Schouten as Chief Business Officer. Many team members previously held executive positions at established biotech companies including Crucell, Ablynx, and Kiadis.
The company's supervisory board brings additional industry expertise, featuring Frank Verwiel (Intellia, Aptalis, Bavarian Nordic, Merck & Co.), Martijn Kleijwegt (EQT-LS), Hunter Smith (Rhythm), and Helen Collins, who has experience at Five Prime, Enliven, Gilead, and Amgen.
The Evolution of Antibody Engineering
Avidicure's approach builds upon decades of progress in antibody engineering. The modular structure of antibodies has historically lent itself to various modifications, allowing researchers to optimize properties such as molecular size, pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, binding affinity, specificity, and effector function.
The company's AVC-Boosters represent the next step in this evolution, potentially offering a new treatment modality that could address limitations of current antibody-based therapies. By engineering antibodies that can simultaneously engage multiple immune pathways with enhanced specificity for tumor tissues, Avidicure aims to improve both efficacy and safety profiles compared to existing treatments.
With its substantial seed funding, Avidicure is well-positioned to advance its platform technology and lead candidate toward clinical development. The company's approach could potentially address significant unmet needs in oncology by offering more targeted and effective immunotherapies for cancer patients.
