Ferrosa Therapeutics AG, a Swiss biotechnology company focused on treating anemia of inflammation, announced a $3.5 million seed financing round led by Forty51 Ventures. The funding will support the advancement of the company’s first-in-class bispecific antibody program designed to address the underlying biological drivers of anemia of inflammation.
The company’s lead candidate targets cytokine-driven dysregulation of iron homeostasis, a key factor that disrupts red blood cell production. Ferrosa’s dual-mechanism approach combines two clinically validated biological pathways to restore erythropoiesis and normalize iron availability, aiming to move beyond current treatments that primarily manage symptoms rather than correct root causes.
Anemia of inflammation is a common complication in chronic kidney disease, autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, and various cancers. Existing therapies, including erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, intravenous iron, and blood transfusions, carry safety risks and do not directly resolve the underlying condition, highlighting a significant unmet medical need.
With the seed funding, Ferrosa plans to progress its preclinical program through antibody generation, bispecific engineering, and in vivo proof-of-concept studies in disease-relevant models.
The company has appointed co-founder Martin Stern, MD, as Chief Executive Officer. Stern brings over 25 years of experience across academia and industry, including prior roles as Chief Medical Officer at Numab Therapeutics and Affivant Sciences, as well as senior leadership positions at Roche Pharma Research and Early Development. He also spent more than a decade in clinical practice as a hematologist.
Ferrosa is supported by a network of scientific advisors with expertise in antibody engineering, red blood cell biology, and nephrology. These include Dr. Beatriz Goyenechea, founder of StarBio International, Prof. Stefano Rivella of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Prof. Beatrice Goilav of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Hospital.
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Ferrosa Therapeutics was founded in 2026 by Forty51 Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on biotech company creation and early-stage financing.
KEY QUOTE:
“Anemia of inflammation remains one of the most prevalent yet inadequately treated complications across chronic diseases. Our bispecific approach has the potential to change how clinicians manage this condition – moving beyond symptomatic support toward correction of the underlying pathophysiology. I am excited to build FERROSA and bring this differentiated therapy to patients who need it.”
Martin Stern, Chief Executive Officer, Ferrosa Therapeutics AG
