Alentis Therapeutics Secures CHF 12.5 Million Series A Financing to Advance Monoclonal Antibody Candidates for Advanced Liver Diseases

VCBeat (WeChat Official Account: vcbeat) has learned that Alentis Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Switzerland, recently announced the completion of a CHF 12.5 million (approximately USD 12.5 million) Series A financing round. The round was co-led by Swiss venture capital firms BioMedPartners and BB Pureos Bioventures, with participation from Bpifrance, Schroder Adveq, and the German High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF).

Biopharmaceutical company Alentis Therapeutics was founded in Basel, Switzerland, in March 2019, focusing on the research and development of novel drugs for advanced liver diseases, such as liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. The company has a subsidiary in Strasbourg, France, and a branch in Germany. Alentis Therapeutics possesses a proprietary drug discovery platform and monoclonal antibody candidates. This platform is based on more than ten years of research achievements from the University of Strasbourg, Inserm, the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, and Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

Alentis Therapeutics’ most advanced program is a humanized monoclonal antibody candidate targeting proteins that play key roles in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Alentis’s research relies on an innovative drug discovery platform that uses gene expression signatures to distinguish between favorable and unfavorable prognoses in liver diseases. Through this platform, the company can rapidly identify and develop additional drug candidates for the treatment of advanced liver disease and cancer.

Dr. Thomas F. Baumert, Founder of Alentis Therapeutics, stated, “Our novel therapy introduces an innovative drug discovery mechanism in the clinical setting. I am confident that this new therapy will improve the treatment landscape for patients with advanced-stage liver disease.”

“A partner at the Swiss venture capital firm BioMedPartners stated, ‘ALENTIS Therapeutics’ preclinical dataset is highly comprehensive. They have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of a novel pharmacological approach in treating advanced liver diseases with diverse pathogenic mechanisms. Dr. Baumert has bridged research and clinical practice through prognostic gene expression signatures. This is highly valuable for the further development of new therapies for liver diseases.’”

BioMedPartners, founded in Basel, Switzerland, in 2002, is a leading independent European venture capital firm. The company primarily provides private equity investments to early- and mid-stage enterprises. With over CHF 350 million in assets under management, an experienced team of industry experts, and an extensive scientific network, BioMedPartners has become a leading investor in the European healthcare sector.

BB Pureos Bioventures is a newly established venture capital fund with offices in Zurich, London, and New York. Pureos specializes in investing in innovative biotechnology companies engaged in drug development, with a focus on next-generation biologics and drug modalities.

Bpifrance is a French national investment bank that provides funding to companies at various stages of development through loans, equity investments, and export insurance. Bpifrance also offers additional financial services such as training and consulting.

Schroder Adveq, established in 1997, is a leading asset management firm investing in private equity on a global scale. Currently, the firm manages over USD 10 billion in assets. Schroder Adveq’s client base comprises institutional investors, including pension funds, insurance companies, foundations, family offices, and other financial institutions across Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific region. Schroder Adveq maintains offices in Zurich, Frankfurt, London, Jersey, New York, Beijing, and Hong Kong.

HTGF is an early-stage investor that provides funding to technology-driven, high-potential startups. Since its establishment in 2005, the firm has participated in founding more than 530 startups. HTGF focuses its investments on high-tech startups, spanning multiple sectors including software, hardware, internet, healthcare, chemicals, and life sciences. To date, HTGF has invested a total of €892.5 million across three funds and an international partner network, while external investors have contributed over €2 billion to the HTGF portfolio through approximately 1,400 follow-on financings. Additionally, HTGF has successfully exited its stakes in more than 100 companies.

(Compiled by Li Chengping)