Ona Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company developing antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for treatment-resistant cancers, announced the close of an oversubscribed $86.6 million Series B financing to support the advancement of its oncology pipeline into clinical development.
The round was co-led by new investors Columbus Venture Partners and Mérieux Equity Partners, with participation from COFIDES and Korys, alongside existing investors Alta Life Sciences, Asabys Partners, Bpifrance, CDTI through SICC Innvierte, FundPlus NV, and Ysios Capital.
The funding will be used to advance Ona’s lead program, ONA-255, a first-in-class ADC initially targeting breast cancer, toward clinical proof of concept. The company will also support the development of ONA-389, a second first-in-class ADC program focused on colorectal cancer, as it advances toward first-in-human clinical studies.
Ona Therapeutics is developing a differentiated pipeline of antibody-drug conjugates designed to address treatment-resistant cancers. Through its proprietary patient-driven target discovery platform, the company identifies novel tumor-specific antigens and epitopes that enable targeted delivery of therapeutic payloads directly to cancer cells. The approach is intended to improve therapeutic activity while minimizing toxicity and overcoming biological mechanisms associated with treatment resistance.
The financing marks an important milestone in Ona’s evolution from a preclinical biotechnology company to a clinical-stage organization. The company expects to begin generating initial human safety and efficacy data for ONA-255 as it advances through clinical development.
Ona currently retains worldwide commercial rights to all of its programs.
The company’s leadership team includes Chair Antoine Yver, Independent Board Member Pamela Klein, Advisory Board Chair Aleix Prat, and Chief Medical Officer Jutta Amersdorffer, all of whom bring extensive oncology drug development and clinical experience.
As part of the financing, Jose Mesa of Columbus Venture Partners, Valérie Calenda of Mérieux Equity Partners, and Eva Van Overmeire of Korys will join Ona’s Board of Directors.
The investment reflects continued interest in next-generation ADC technologies, which have become one of the fastest-growing areas in oncology due to their ability to selectively deliver potent therapies to cancer cells while reducing exposure to healthy tissues.
KEY QUOTES:
“The oversubscribed Series B marks an important step to advancing ONA-255 toward clinical proof of concept in breast cancer, while progressing early clinical development activities for ONA-389 in colorectal cancer. We are proud to have assembled a high-quality syndicate of investors who share our conviction in the differentiated science behind Ona’s novel targets and their potential to address drug resistance. Supported by a highly experienced and talented team, this financing strengthens our commitment to tackling hard-to-treat cancers through meaningful innovation and addressing the significant unmet need faced by patients with limited treatment options.”
Valerie Vanhooren, Ph.D., Co-Founder And Chief Executive Officer, Ona Therapeutics
“At Columbus, we look for companies that combine world-class science with a clear path to clinical impact. Ona is a strong example of that. Its work on cancer resistance and metastasis addresses one of the most important challenges in oncology, and its pipeline, led by ONA-255 and followed by ONA-389, provides a compelling opportunity to build a differentiated oncology platform. We are delighted to support Valerie and the team in this next stage of growth, bringing Columbus’ experience in developing and scaling innovative oncology companies.”
Jose Mesa, Partner, Columbus Venture Partners
“Ona exemplifies the kind of high-impact company we look to partner with: a high-quality team building a compelling and differentiated pipeline, combining deep biological insight with a highly focused development strategy. The strength of Ona’s preclinical data package behind ONA-255, the breadth of opportunity across the pipeline, and the team’s clear vision for translating novel biology into clinically meaningful therapies give us strong confidence in the Company’s long-term potential. We are excited to co-lead this financing and support Ona’s next phase of growth.”
Valérie Calenda, Managing Partner And Head Of Innovation, Mérieux Equity Partners
