Tubulis closes upsized €128 million Series B2
"This substantial financing from a syndicate of global specialist biotech investors recognizes Tubulis’ unique position in the ADC space"
Tubulis announced the successful completion of an upsized and oversubscribed €128 million ($138.8 million) Series B2 financing. The round was co-led by EQT Life Sciences and Nextech Invest Ltd, on behalf of one or more funds managed by it, with participation from new US-based funds, Frazier Life Sciences and Deep Track Capital as well as all existing investors, including Andera Partners, BioMedPartners, Fund+, Bayern Kapital (with ScaleUp-Fonds Bayern), Evotec, coparion, Seventure Partners, OCCIDENT and High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF). Tubulis is developing a pipeline of uniquely matched antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) with an indication-tailored targeting molecule and payload combination to develop novel ADCs with superior properties.
The proceeds of the Series B2 will primarily support progress in Tubulis’ pipeline of next-generation ADCs toward clinical evaluation and help achieve clinical proof-of-concept for lead candidates, TUB-040 and TUB-030. TUB-040 addresses tumor-antigen Napi2b, a well-characterized target in ovarian and lung cancer and TUB-030 targets 5T4, an antigen often overexpressed in solid tumors. Preclinical proof-of-concept data for these two candidates will be presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in April. The company expects to start its first Phase 1/2a clinical trial, including dose escalation and dose optimization cohorts in 2024. The capital will also fund the expansion of Tubulis’ suite of technology platforms to unlock novel payloads for the development of versatile and customizable ADCs. In line with the addition of new US investors, Tubulis plans to increase its corporate footprint by establishing a US subsidiary.
“This substantial financing from a syndicate of global specialist biotech investors recognizes Tubulis’ unique position in the ADC space. Our proprietary platform technologies and internal know-how are the foundation for our pipeline of truly differentiated protein-drug conjugates,” said Dominik Schumacher, PhD, CEO and Co-founder of Tubulis. “Our goal is to establish Tubulis as a global ADC leader as we transition into a clinical-stage company and harness the full power of ADCs to bring their therapeutic value to patients with solid tumors.”
In conjunction with the financing, Christoph Broja, Managing Director at EQT Life Sciences and Kanishka Pothula, Managing Partner at Nextech Invest will join Tubulis’ Supervisory Board. An overview of all members as well as their biographies can be found here.
Kanishka Pothula, Managing Partner at Nextech Invest commented: “Recent developments in oncology underscore the significant potential of ADCs for the treatment of solid tumors. We are convinced that Tubulis will be at the forefront of this next wave of ADC therapeutics. The team continuously pushes the boundaries of ADC design and has developed an impressive set of platform technologies that give the company the full flexibility to tailor each component of the ADC to a specific indication. The company is on the path towards providing new, high-quality treatment options for many hard-to-treat cancers and we are excited to join their journey by providing strategic support in the next phase of corporate growth.”
“Dominik and the Tubulis team have developed highly differentiated ADC candidates that have the potential to significantly change the treatment paradigm in targeted solid tumor indications. We are looking forward to supporting the Tubulis team in realizing their vision of delivering the true value of ADCs by extending patient benefit and improving quality of life, said Christoph Broja, Managing Director at EQT Life Sciences. At EQT, we are focused on guiding the next global leaders in healthcare and Tubulis is well positioned to directly impact the future of oncology treatments,” added John de Koning, Partner at EQT Life Sciences.
Tubulis was established with the goal of maximizing the overall performance of ADCs by addressing the main bottlenecks in the field through innovation in all aspects of ADC development. The company has created a unique suite of technologies that combine a diverse range of targeting molecules, innovative payloads, and proprietary conjugation technologies to deliver revolutionary ADCs with superior, indication-tailored properties. The company’s platforms allow it to move beyond traditional payload classes and expand antibody conjugation options through novel chemical groups, resulting in stable, high drug-to-antibody ratios.
¹Nextech Invest Ltd, on behalf of one or more funds managed by it.
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