EQT Life Sciences announced that its LSP 7 fund has invested in ATB Therapeutics. The €54 million Series A funding round aims to accelerate the clinical development of a therapeutic antibody pipeline derived from its proprietary ATBioFarm platform. The funding was co-led by EQT Life Sciences and MRL Ventures Fund (a corporate venture arm of Merck), along with contributions from V-Bio, VIVES Partners, the Belgian sovereign fund SFPIM, Wallonie Entreprendre, Sambrinvest, and existing investors.
ATB Therapeutics is focused on pioneering first-in-class biologics that integrate novel cell-killing mechanisms, including enzymatic functionalities, within targeted antibodies. These rapidly produced antibodies combine multiple targeting and killing domains, enhancing their effectiveness and safety compared to traditional conjugates. The ATBioFarm technology facilitates the scalable and single-step production of these sophisticated biologics, promising significant advancements across various therapeutic applications.
This funding will enable ATB to expand and enhance the ATBioFarm platform and accelerate the development of its unique weaponized antibodies for oncology and immunology applications. ATB’s research and development operations will be extended to Ghent and will continue in Marche-en-Famenne, where the company is setting up a pilot manufacturing facility.
Mark Throsby has been appointed as ATB’s executive chairman in connection with this funding. Mark is an industry veteran and the former Chief Scientific Officer of Merus, where he was instrumental in developing bispecific antibody therapeutics. Through his expertise in antibody development, Mark further strengthens the company’s leadership, as ATB embarks on this pivotal phase of growth. The company also onboarded seasoned biotech investors John de Koning, Partner at EQT, and Karin Kleinhans, Partner at MRLV, to its Board of Directors.
KEY QUOTES:
“Our successful financing round demonstrates the strong potential of the ATBioFarm platform and the confidence prominent international investors have in our vision. We are grateful to our investors and the Région Wallonne for their unwavering support. This funding will enable us to bolster our team, expand our operations, and advance our mission to deliver transformative therapies to patients worldwide.”
– Bertrand Magy, CEO and co-founder of ATB Therapeutics
“I am particularly impressed by the ATBioFarm platform’s capability to swiftly generate a diverse array of candidate molecules with unique cytotoxic and targeting features. This innovative approach addresses critical challenges in selecting ADC drug candidates and opens avenues for new mechanisms of action that fulfill unmet clinical needs. I look forward to collaborating with the ATB team to bring this vision to reality.”
– Mark Throsby
“The founders of ATB Therapeutics have demonstrated remarkable entrepreneurial vision by establishing a proprietary drug discovery, development, and manufacturing platform from the ground up. The platform’s ability to manufacture antibodies from a single expression construct that integrates both targeting and direct cytotoxic functions is truly exceptional, positioning ATB as a prospective leader in the next generation of biopharmaceuticals.”
– John de Koning, Partner at EQT
