Nuclidium Raises €115 Million to Advance Copper-Based Radiotheranostics for Prostate and Breast Cancer
Key Insights
Nuclidium AG (search) closed an oversubscribed CHF 26.4 million Series B extension, bringing total funding to CHF 105 million (approximately €115 million) to accelerate clinical development of copper-based radiotheranostics.
The company plans to initiate Phase I/IIa therapeutic trials for NU101 (search) in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (search) and NU201 (search) in metastatic breast cancer (search) later this year.
Nuclidium's theranostic platform uses copper-61 (search) for diagnostics and copper-67 (search) for therapy, offering advantages in clinical performance and manufacturing workflow integration over existing radioligands.
Swiss radiopharmaceutical company Nuclidium AG (search) has successfully closed an oversubscribed CHF 26.4 million (€28.4 million) extension to its Series B funding round, bringing the total raised to CHF 105 million (approximately €115 million). The financing was led by existing investors including Kurma Growth Opportunities Fund, Angelini Ventures, and the EIB co-investment facility Aurea, with additional participation from Wellington Partners, Neva SGR, and several other institutional investors.
Copper-Based Radiotheranostics Platform
Nuclidium's differentiated approach centers on copper isotopes (search), utilizing copper-61 (search) for diagnostics and copper-67 (search) for therapy. According to the company, this platform offers superior clinical performance compared to existing radioligands while providing easier manufacturing and clinical workflow integration. CEO and Co-Founder Leila Jaafar emphasized that "emerging data from our Phase 1/2 diagnostics studies continue to generate strong momentum for NUCLIDIUM's true radiotheranostics approach."
The company's theranostic strategy enables direct conversion from cancer diagnosis to treatment, with ongoing Phase I/II diagnostic studies reportedly showing positive momentum. This approach represents a significant advancement in the integration of diagnosis and therapy within the radiopharmaceutical field.
Clinical Pipeline Advancement
The fresh capital will accelerate clinical development of Nuclidium's two lead programs: NU101 (search) for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (search) (mCRPC) and NU201 (search) for metastatic breast cancer (search) (mBC). Both programs are expected to enter Phase I/IIa therapeutic trials later this year, marking a critical transition from diagnostic to therapeutic applications.
According to company statements, both NU101 (search) and NU201 (search) have demonstrated compelling efficacy and safety profiles in Phase 1/2 diagnostic trials. The advancement into therapeutic trials represents a key milestone in validating the company's direct conversion strategy from diagnosis to treatment.
Manufacturing and Pipeline Expansion
Beyond clinical development, the funding will support the continued buildout of Nuclidium's worldwide production and manufacturing network for both diagnostics and therapeutics. The company also plans to expand novel target development for its preclinical programs, aiming to bring radiotheranostics to additional solid tumor indications.
This expansion strategy aligns with broader industry trends toward vertical integration in the radiopharmaceutical sector. As noted by investors, radiopharmaceuticals represent "one of the most compelling growth opportunities in oncology today," with Nuclidium's copper-based approach offering clear differentiation through clinical superiority and ease-of-use that supports seamless hospital workflow integration.
Industry Context and Market Dynamics
The radiopharmaceutical sector has experienced significant consolidation and investment activity in recent months. Major pharmaceutical companies including Novartis, which has strengthened its position through the acquisition of Mariana Oncology (search) for up to $1.75 billion, continue to expand their radioligand therapy portfolios alongside marketed assets such as Pluvicto and Lutathera.
Similarly, Lantheus (search) has pursued aggressive consolidation through acquisitions including Evergreen Theragnostics and the planned purchase of Life Molecular Imaging, while Eli Lilly continues building its presence following its acquisition of POINT Biopharma (search). These transactions highlight a clear industry trend toward vertical integration, combining isotope supply, manufacturing capacity, and paired diagnostic-therapeutic platforms within scalable radiopharmaceutical businesses.
The strong investor interest in Nuclidium's approach reflects the field's potential as one of the most attractive growth areas in oncology, with the company's differentiated copper-based platform positioned to advance the integration of diagnosis and therapy in cancer treatment.