AgomAb Therapeutics Secures €21 Million Series A Financing to Advance Agonistic Antibodies for Regeneration of Damaged Tissues

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) has learned that biopharmaceutical company AgomAb Therapeutics recently announced the completion of a €21 million Series A financing round to develop agonist antibodies for regenerating damaged tissues. Meanwhile, the company has also secured an exclusive license to use argenx SE’s HGF-mimicking platform, SIMPLE Antibodie.

Investors in this round of financing include V-Bio Ventures, Advent France Biotechnology, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, Omnes Venture Capital, and Pontifax.

It is reported that upon completion of the financing, Dr. Tim Knotnerus, CEO of AM-Pharma, and Dr. Torsten Dreier, Co-founder and Chief Development Officer of argenx, will both join the board of directors of AgomAb Therapeutics. In addition, Dr. John Haurum, CEO of F-star, a company dedicated to the development of novel bispecific antibodies, will become the Chairman of the Board of AgomAb.

AgomAb Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company co-founded by argenx and the University of Turin in Italy, with its headquarters located in Belgium. Established in 2017, the company is dedicated to developing agonist antibodies for regenerating damaged tissues. AgomAb boasts a team of experts specializing in hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) biology, focusing primarily on the development of antibodies for fibrosis, inflammation, autoimmune disorders, and degenerative diseases, and advancing its product candidates into clinical trials.

Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) was initially discovered as a substance capable of stimulating hepatocyte proliferation. Subsequent research has revealed that HGF also acts on various other cell types, including epithelial cells, hematopoietic cells, and vascular endothelial cells, functioning as a multifunctional factor that regulates cell growth, motility, and morphogenesis. Through paracrine or autocrine mechanisms and mediated by epithelial–mesenchymal interactions, HGF plays critical roles in embryogenesis, wound healing, angiogenesis, tissue and organ regeneration, morphogenesis, and carcinogenesis.

Although the regenerative and anti-fibrotic potential of HGF has long been confirmed by scientists, its clinical application has remained a challenge. The short half-life of HGF, coupled with its high affinity for extracellular matrix components, poses significant difficulties for systemic administration in patients. Furthermore, the complex manufacturing process and high cost of HGF preclude mass production, while protein instability makes bulk storage unfeasible. To overcome these pharmacological limitations of HGF, AgomAb Therapeutics has specifically developed a series of agonistic monoclonal antibodies against the MET receptor, known as agomAbs. These antibodies bind to MET with high affinity, promoting receptor dimerization and activation, thereby mimicking the molecular effects of HGF.

Paolo Michieli, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of AgomAb Therapeutics and Laboratory Director at the University of Turin School of Medicine in Italy, stated that agomAbs not only retain the original functions of HGF but also exhibit excellent drug resistance, demonstrating robust tissue regenerative capacity in a variety of difficult-to-treat clinical conditions.

Dr. Tim Knotnerus, who has just joined the Board of Directors, stated: “Paolo and his team possess cutting-edge scientific expertise, and Torsten Dreier brings specialized technical proficiency. I am confident that we will develop best-in-class therapies to provide innovative treatment options for more patients, striving to establish AgomAb as an industry leader.”

V-Bio Ventures is a Belgium-based venture capital firm established in 2015, primarily providing funding to startups in the biopharmaceutical sector.

Advent France Biotechnology is a venture capital firm specializing in seed-stage investments. Established in 2016 and headquartered in Paris, France, the firm primarily provides funding to domestic life sciences companies.

Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund is a venture capital firm focused on early-stage investments, dedicated to the fields of medical science, biotechnology, and immunomodulatory technologies.

Omnes Venture Capital is a France-based venture capital firm dedicated to providing funding to startups in the life sciences sector. The firm manages €3.4 billion in assets.

Pontifax is a venture capital firm headquartered in Israel, primarily providing funding to the biopharmaceutical sector.

(Compiled by: Feng Yutong)