Vienna's VALANX Biotech Secures €3 Million to Advance Precision ADC Platform for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
核心洞察
VALANX Biotech (搜索) raised €3 million from new investors including Foundation Fournier-Majoie (搜索) and FUJIFILM Corporation to advance its lead ADC program VLX-ADC-001 (搜索) targeting LIV-1 (搜索) for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (搜索).
The company's proprietary GoldenSite™ platform enables precise and reproducible conjugation at defined sites on antibodies, potentially improving therapeutic outcomes and safety profiles compared to conventional ADC approaches.
Candidate selection for VLX-ADC-001 (搜索) is planned for June 2026, with funding also supporting GMP readiness and partnership activities for the conjugation platform technology.
Vienna-based VALANX Biotech (搜索) GmbH has secured €3 million in an initial financing round to advance its lead antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) program targeting metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (搜索). The funding round attracted new investors Foundation Fournier-Majoie (搜索) and FUJIFILM Corporation, joining existing backers including xista science ventures (搜索), tecnet equity (搜索), SOSV (搜索), and angel investors Urs Spitz and SkyGene.
The capital will support preclinical development of VLX-ADC-001 (搜索), an ADC targeting the LIV-1 receptor (搜索) for treatment of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (搜索) (mTNBC (搜索)), with candidate selection planned for June 2026. The funding will also advance GMP readiness and partnership activities for the company's proprietary GoldenSite™ conjugation platform.
Addressing Core ADC Development Challenges
ADCs represent a transformative class in oncology, combining the targeting precision of antibodies with highly potent payloads to selectively attack tumor cells. However, one of the biggest challenges in ADC development remains controlling side effects while maximizing efficacy. VALANX's GoldenSite platform addresses this critical issue by enabling precise and reproducible conjugation at defined sites, potentially improving therapeutic outcomes and optimizing safety profiles.
"LIV-1 (搜索) is a highly promising target in mTNBC (搜索). GoldenSite allows us to fine-tune the conjugation position, optimising the therapeutic window of our drug candidates," said Michael Lukesch, founder and CEO of VALANX. "Our goal is to advance VLX-ADC-001 (搜索) to a robust preclinical data package by June 2026 while moving GoldenSite towards GMP readiness and strategic partnerships."
Novel Conjugation Technology Platform
The GoldenSite technology represents a platform approach for site-specific protein conjugation, enabling proteins to be precisely modified at defined locations. The technological foundation involves a novel amino acid that is inserted into target proteins at predetermined locations using a specially developed bacterium, creating an artificial docking site where desired modifications can be attached. The amino acid is produced from inexpensive starting materials, providing a cost advantage over competing technologies.
This precise control of conjugation position is intended to improve the therapeutic window of ADC candidates, addressing key challenges in the field including reducing side effects, optimizing the drug-to-antibody ratio, and controlling the conjugation site.
Strategic Investment and Governance
As part of the financing round, Ana Maricevic has joined VALANX's Board of Directors, representing the Foundation Fournier-Majoie (搜索). "VALANX is addressing a core challenge in the ADC field – controlling toxicity to unlock greater efficacy. We are committed to supporting the advancement of VLX-ADC-001 (搜索) alongside Fujifilm and the existing investor group," Maricevic commented.
Growing European ADC Market
The investment reflects growing attention in the ADC field across Europe. With several approved products and numerous clinical programs, ADCs are among the most promising areas in oncology. Recent European developments include the acquisition of German-French startup Emergence Therapeutics by Eli Lilly for a triple-digit million sum in 2023, while its French follow-up project Adcytherix has raised over €130 million. Munich-based Tubulis has secured more than €540 million through multiple record-breaking financing rounds in Germany.
Broader Platform Applications
VALANX's platform technology extends beyond single-field applications, enabling drug development for various indications. The company is seeking collaboration with pharmaceutical industry partners and the technology also finds application in producing improved biosensors and biocatalysts. The €3 million funding will finance preclinical development while the company pursues partnership activities with other ADC developers.