Latest news with #DraganGrabulovski
Business Upturn
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
Strüngmann Award Committee Announces 2025 Finalists Recognizing Outstanding Life Science Entrepreneurs in the DACH Region
The selected finalists have demonstrated entrepreneurial execution and translational potential for a range of scientific approaches The winner(s) will be officially announced on July 3, 2025, and will receive an EUR 100,000 cash prize Munich, Germany, May 27, 2025 – The Strüngmann Award selection committee today announced this year's award finalists. The three companies and their founders highlight the exceptional and internationally successful leaders emerging from the DACH region's thriving life science ecosystem. Now in its second year, the award aims to recognize founders who are not only advancing breakthrough science, but who have also demonstrated the drive and resilience required to translate innovation into therapeutic impact. Advertisement The award was established to honor its namesakes, Andreas Strüngmann, M.D., and Thomas Strüngmann, Ph.D. As the founders of Hexal they achieved extraordinary entrepreneurial success, subsequently they expanded on these achievements in their roles as visionary investors. The award celebrates the next generation of leaders advancing a great idea into reality. 'We are convinced of the exceptionally talented leaders in the DACH life science ecosystem and are committed to recognizing and promoting both innovative ideas and execution through this award. This year's finalists underscore the depth of scientific and entrepreneurial excellence in the DACH region. They represent a remarkable diversity of scientific fields: from targeted cancer therapies to regenerative neuroscience and drug resistance. It's inspiring to see how different paths can lead to meaningful innovation that improves patients' lives,' said Andreas und Thomas Strüngmann. The following visionary entrepreneurs have been selected by the award committee for their innovative mindset and talent for execution in translating biomedical research into therapeutic approaches: Dragan Grabulovski | Philipp Spycher | Isabella Attinger-Toller – Araris Biotech The founding team of Araris Biotech, Dragan Grabulovski, Ph.D., CEO, Philipp Spycher, Ph.D., CSO, and Isabella Attinger-Toller, Ph.D., CTO, has built one of Switzerland's most successful biotech ventures in recent years. Spun out of the Paul Scherrer Institute (part of ETH domain), the team developed a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) linker-payload technology (AraLinQTM) that enables one-step payload attachment to off-the-shelf antibodies, without the need of prior antibody engineering. Their collaborative leadership and scientific excellence led Araris to raise over CHF 40 million, form a strategic partnership with Chugai (Roche) and Johnson & Johnson, and achieve a landmark acquisition by Taiho Pharmaceutical in March 2025 for up to USD 1.14 billion. Araris Biotech is advancing a new class of ADCs aiming to redefine the entire paradigm of targeted cancer therapy and beyond. Martin E. Schwab | Stefan Moese – NovaGo Therapeutics Prof. Martin E. Schwab, Ph.D., CSO and co-founder of NovaGo Therapeutics, is a world-renowned neuroscientist whose pioneering work on nerve growth inhibition fundamentally changed the field of neuroregeneration. He discovered the protein Nogo-A, a key blocker of nerve repair in the central nervous system and translated this breakthrough into the development of regenerative antibody therapies. Building on decades of research at the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, he founded NovaGo in 2015 to advance clinical candidates for patients with spinal cord injury and related indications. Since joining as CEO in 2023, Stefan Moese, Ph.D., has brought deep expertise in biologics and translational drug development. Together, he and Martin E. Schwab are driving the company's efforts to translate cutting-edge science into regenerative therapies, where the first candidate has entered clinical trials in acute spinal cord injured patients in 2024. NovaGo Therapeutics is a Swiss biotech company developing antibody-based therapies to promote nerve and blood vessel regeneration, with a lead program targeting acute spinal cord injury. Stefanie Flückiger-Mangual – TOLREMO therapeutics Stefanie Flückiger-Mangual, Ph.D., founder and CEO of TOLREMO therapeutics, has built a company that is redefining the way drug resistance is approached in the treatment of cancer. Drawing from her academic research at ETH Zurich, she uncovered that resistance is often driven by transcriptional changes — sometimes long before oncogenic mutations arise. This insight led to the development of a proprietary screening platform which resulted in the identification of CBP/p300 as an epigenetic master regulator of non-oncogene resistance. Under Stefanie's leadership, the company has raised over CHF 34 million and advanced its lead program TT125-802, a novel, highly selective CBP/p300 inhibitor, into the clinic. In this ongoing clinical trial, TT125-802 has shown a best-in-class safety profile and unprecedented monotherapy activity in solid tumors. TOLREMO therapeutics is pioneering a comprehensive new approach to tackle cancer drug resistance by blocking transcriptional resistance pathways that operate parallel to the primary oncogene signaling axis. This represents a differentiated strategy to address a major challenge in cancer treatment, with significant therapeutic potential both as a monotherapy as well as in combination with targeted therapies. As a next step in the selection process, an expert jury consisting of leading entrepreneurial personalities and biotechnology investors will select the winner(s). The winner will be officially announced on July 3, 2025, and will receive a EUR 100,000 cash prize. To learn more about the award and stay up to date on the latest news visit our website: About the Strüngmann Award The award was established in 2024 to recognize outstanding entrepreneurs realizing revolutionary ideas in the DACH life science sector. The goal is to reward exceptional achievements with a prestigious prize and to further the development of the next generation of leaders in this space. The award was named to honor twin brothers Andreas Strüngmann, M.D., and Thomas Strüngmann, Ph.D., who are among the important entrepreneurs, visionaries and investors in the life science sector. As the founders of Hexal, they achieved extraordinary entrepreneurial success and as investors, they have continued to repeat that success for more than 20 years by building and developing leading companies across the industry, including Mainz-based BioNTech. Learn more at Media Contact Trophic Communications Stephanie May, Ph.D. and Anja Heuer Phone: +49 (0) 171 185 56 82 Email: [email protected] Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Strüngmann Award Committee Announces 2025 Finalists Recognizing Outstanding Life Science Entrepreneurs in the DACH Region
The selected finalists have demonstrated entrepreneurial execution and translational potential for a range of scientific approaches The winner(s) will be officially announced on July 3, 2025, and will receive an EUR 100,000 cash prize Munich, Germany, May 27, 2025 – The Strüngmann Award selection committee today announced this year's award finalists. The three companies and their founders highlight the exceptional and internationally successful leaders emerging from the DACH region's thriving life science ecosystem. Now in its second year, the award aims to recognize founders who are not only advancing breakthrough science, but who have also demonstrated the drive and resilience required to translate innovation into therapeutic impact. The award was established to honor its namesakes, Andreas Strüngmann, M.D., and Thomas Strüngmann, Ph.D. As the founders of Hexal they achieved extraordinary entrepreneurial success, subsequently they expanded on these achievements in their roles as visionary investors. The award celebrates the next generation of leaders advancing a great idea into reality. 'We are convinced of the exceptionally talented leaders in the DACH life science ecosystem and are committed to recognizing and promoting both innovative ideas and execution through this award. This year's finalists underscore the depth of scientific and entrepreneurial excellence in the DACH region. They represent a remarkable diversity of scientific fields: from targeted cancer therapies to regenerative neuroscience and drug resistance. It's inspiring to see how different paths can lead to meaningful innovation that improves patients' lives,' said Andreas und Thomas Strüngmann. The following visionary entrepreneurs have been selected by the award committee for their innovative mindset and talent for execution in translating biomedical research into therapeutic approaches: Dragan Grabulovski | Philipp Spycher | Isabella Attinger-Toller – Araris Biotech The founding team of Araris Biotech, Dragan Grabulovski, Ph.D., CEO, Philipp Spycher, Ph.D., CSO, and Isabella Attinger-Toller, Ph.D., CTO, has built one of Switzerland's most successful biotech ventures in recent years. Spun out of the Paul Scherrer Institute (part of ETH domain), the team developed a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) linker-payload technology (AraLinQTM) that enables one-step payload attachment to off-the-shelf antibodies, without the need of prior antibody engineering. Their collaborative leadership and scientific excellence led Araris to raise over CHF 40 million, form a strategic partnership with Chugai (Roche) and Johnson & Johnson, and achieve a landmark acquisition by Taiho Pharmaceutical in March 2025 for up to USD 1.14 billion. Araris Biotech is advancing a new class of ADCs aiming to redefine the entire paradigm of targeted cancer therapy and beyond. Martin E. Schwab | Stefan Moese – NovaGo Therapeutics Prof. Martin E. Schwab, Ph.D., CSO and co-founder of NovaGo Therapeutics, is a world-renowned neuroscientist whose pioneering work on nerve growth inhibition fundamentally changed the field of neuroregeneration. He discovered the protein Nogo-A, a key blocker of nerve repair in the central nervous system and translated this breakthrough into the development of regenerative antibody therapies. Building on decades of research at the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, he founded NovaGo in 2015 to advance clinical candidates for patients with spinal cord injury and related indications. Since joining as CEO in 2023, Stefan Moese, Ph.D., has brought deep expertise in biologics and translational drug development. Together, he and Martin E. Schwab are driving the company's efforts to translate cutting-edge science into regenerative therapies, where the first candidate has entered clinical trials in acute spinal cord injured patients in 2024. NovaGo Therapeutics is a Swiss biotech company developing antibody-based therapies to promote nerve and blood vessel regeneration, with a lead program targeting acute spinal cord injury. Stefanie Flückiger-Mangual – TOLREMO therapeutics Stefanie Flückiger-Mangual, Ph.D., founder and CEO of TOLREMO therapeutics, has built a company that is redefining the way drug resistance is approached in the treatment of cancer. Drawing from her academic research at ETH Zurich, she uncovered that resistance is often driven by transcriptional changes — sometimes long before oncogenic mutations arise. This insight led to the development of a proprietary screening platform which resulted in the identification of CBP/p300 as an epigenetic master regulator of non-oncogene resistance. Under Stefanie's leadership, the company has raised over CHF 34 million and advanced its lead program TT125-802, a novel, highly selective CBP/p300 inhibitor, into the clinic. In this ongoing clinical trial, TT125-802 has shown a best-in-class safety profile and unprecedented monotherapy activity in solid tumors. TOLREMO therapeutics is pioneering a comprehensive new approach to tackle cancer drug resistance by blocking transcriptional resistance pathways that operate parallel to the primary oncogene signaling axis. This represents a differentiated strategy to address a major challenge in cancer treatment, with significant therapeutic potential both as a monotherapy as well as in combination with targeted therapies. As a next step in the selection process, an expert jury consisting of leading entrepreneurial personalities and biotechnology investors will select the winner(s). The winner will be officially announced on July 3, 2025, and will receive a EUR 100,000 cash prize. To learn more about the award and stay up to date on the latest news visit our website: About the Strüngmann AwardThe award was established in 2024 to recognize outstanding entrepreneurs realizing revolutionary ideas in the DACH life science sector. The goal is to reward exceptional achievements with a prestigious prize and to further the development of the next generation of leaders in this space. The award was named to honor twin brothers Andreas Strüngmann, M.D., and Thomas Strüngmann, Ph.D., who are among the important entrepreneurs, visionaries and investors in the life science sector. As the founders of Hexal, they achieved extraordinary entrepreneurial success and as investors, they have continued to repeat that success for more than 20 years by building and developing leading companies across the industry, including Mainz-based BioNTech. Learn more at Media Contact Trophic CommunicationsStephanie May, Ph.D. and Anja HeuerPhone: +49 (0) 171 185 56 82Email: athos@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Taiho outlays $1.14bn to acquire ADC specialist Araris
Taiho Pharmaceutical has agreed to acquire Swiss-based antibody-drug-conjugate (ADC) specialist Araris Biotech for up to $1.14bn, representing another big-dollar deal for the promising cancer treatment modality. The purchase agreement comprises a $400m upfront payment, with a further $740m in milestone payments. The deal is expected to be completed in the first half of 2025. Taiho is already familiar with Araris's technology, having worked with the biotech since 2023 via an ADC collaboration targeting undisclosed oncological targets. This acquisition will see Taiho gain access to Araris's entire ADC infrastructure, with the biotech becoming a wholly owned subsidiary. A spin-off from the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and ETH Zurich, Araris has developed linker technology that allows attachment of payloads to 'off-the-shelf' antibodies in a single step. The key differentiator of the biotech's platform, called AraLinQ, allows the conjugation of two or three cytotoxic payloads simultaneously. ADCs have become a promising therapeutic modality in oncology and are one of the fastest-growing areas in cancer drug research. Araris claims its peptide linker technology overcomes limitations in current ADC technologies such as heterogeneity, aggregation in blood, and high costs. Araris states preclinical studies have demonstrated a wider range of safety and increased antitumour effects among its candidates compared to conventional ADCs. The Swiss biotech has three candidates at the preclinical stage that are anticipated to enter clinical trials between 2025 and 2026. Araris's CEO Dragan Grabulovski told Pharmaceutical Technology earlier this year that nectin-four and NaPi2b are targets for two of the internal programmes; the third has not been disclosed. '[Taiho's] significant cancer expertise will support us in turbo-charging the clinical development of our potent ADC candidates in haematological and solid tumours,' Grabulovski said in a statement following the acquisition agreement. Taiho's president Masayuki Kobayashi commented: 'We are confident that the addition of Araris's knowledge, experience and technology platform in ADC drug discovery, as well as its development pipeline, will lead to further expansion and strengthening of Taiho's drug discovery capabilities and portfolio.' Taiho is not the only Japanese pharma company to tap Araris's linker technology – Chugai Pharmaceutical penned a research collaboration, including a licence agreement with the biotech for up to $780m in January 2025. Taiho's acquisition of Araris is just the latest in a long line of deals in the ADC space, though it is still a long way short of some of the money being spent by big pharma. Pfizer – which is also researching multi-payload ADCs - acquired Seagen for $43bn in December 2023 while MSD and AbbVie have also completed $10.8bn and $10.1bn deals in recent years. "Taiho outlays $1.14bn to acquire ADC specialist Araris" was originally created and published by Pharmaceutical Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Taiho Pharmaceutical to Acquire Next-Generation ADC Drug Discovery Company Araris Biotech
March 17th, 2025Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Biotech AGTaiho Pharmaceutical to Acquire Next-Generation ADC Drug Discovery Company Araris Biotech Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (hereinafter "Taiho Pharmaceutical") and Araris Biotech AG (hereinafter "Araris"), a Swiss biotechnology company developing next-generation antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which Taiho Pharmaceutical will fully acquire Araris (hereinafter "the Acquisition"). Following necessary procedures, the Acquisition is expected to be completed in first half of 2025. The Acquisition follows a research collaboration between Taiho Pharmaceutical and Araris signed in November 2023. Under the terms of the agreement, Taiho Pharmaceutical will pay USD 400 million at closing, with the potential for additional milestone payments of up to USD 740 million. Araris is a spin-off company of the Paul-Scherrer-Institute in Switzerland and pioneering the development of best-in-class ADCs with superior design, high linker solubility and simple manufacturing that address the shortcomings of current generation ADCs. ADCs are designed to selectively deliver cytotoxic drugs (payloads) to cancer cells by attaching them to antibodies that bind specifically to cancer cells through linkers. Foundational to its approach is its novel, proprietary ADC linker platform AraLinQ™. This platform has generated highly uniform, stable and potent ADC therapeutic candidates that have demonstrated a wider range of safety and increased antitumor effect compared to conventional ADCs in preclinical studies.i,ii Furthermore, Araris is advancing three products for the treatment of hematological and solid tumors developed using its unique AraLinQ™ technology, which are currently in the preclinical stage. These products are anticipated to enter into clinical trials between 2025 and 2026. Taiho Pharmaceutical, in addition to antimetabolites, has established and created novel drugs through its proprietary small molecule drug discovery platform, Cysteinomix, enhancing cancer treatment and contributing to patient care. By acquiring Araris' innovative ADC drug discovery technology platform along with Cysteinomix, Taiho Pharmaceutical will further expand its ongoing development portfolio in the field of Kobayashi, President and Representative Director of Taiho Pharmaceutical commented, 'We are very pleased to have entered into this agreement with Araris. AraLinQTM is an innovative technology that enables next-generation ADC drug discovery. We are confident that the addition of Araris' knowledge, experience and technology platform in ADC drug discovery, as well as its development pipeline, will lead to further expansion and strengthening of Taiho's drug discovery capabilities and portfolio. Going forward, together with Araris, we will strive to develop innovative drugs that can contribute to patients globally.' Dragan Grabulovski, CEO and Co-founder of Araris commented, 'Araris' unique ADC technology represents a quantum leap for the ADC field, potentially offering precise payload delivery of multiple mechanisms of action simultaneously to the tumor, with less toxicity. We are proud to combine with Taiho, our partner since November 2023, whose significant cancer expertise will support us in turbo-charging the clinical development of our potent ADC candidates in hematological and solid tumors.' Dima Kuzmin, Managing Partner of 4BIO Capital and Chairman of Araris, added: 'This acquisition validates Araris' position as one of the most exciting ADC companies in the market. Having worked with Araris closely during its collaboration, Taiho knows the potential of Araris' proprietary AraLinQ™ technology and is best placed to accelerate these transformative treatments to patients.' With the Acquisition, Araris will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Taiho Pharmaceutical and will continue its business, research and development activities at its current location in Zurich, Switzerland. About AraLinQTMAraLinQTM is Araris' linker technology, which enables site-specific payload attachment to a privileged attachment site on a specific amino acid (Q295) within the antibody IgG-Fc framework. When a payload is attached to this site, the antibody still maintains nearly identical performance (e.g. pharmacokinetics and effector functions) to the unconjugated, original antibody. Furthermore, the linker-payload is connected to the antibody through a very strong peptide bond resulting in exceptional stability in the blood stream and therefore, avoidance of healthy tissue damage. However, once entering a cancer cell via antibody mediated internalization, the linker can be easily broken to release the payload and kill the cancer cell. All three of these properties are key factors to enable the most efficient payload delivery and maximum ADC linkers are hydrophilic, rendering them soluble in water-based solutions like blood. Improved solubility leads to decreased clumping, allowing the ADC to properly bind to cancerous cells without the need to further edit the antibody/payload structures. In addition, this linker can have unique branching structures which makes it possible to create ADCs that carry multiple payloads of different types. AraLinQTM can also generate ADCs in one step using 'off-the-shelf' antibodies that are native or engineered. The process is fast, cost-efficient and can be easily upscaled without the need for custom antibody synthesis. AdvisorsMTS Health Partners, L.P is serving as a financial advisor and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC and Homburger AG is serving as the legal advisor for Taiho Pharmaceutical. Centerview Partners UK LLP is serving as financial advisor to Araris, and Cooley LLP and BGPartner Ltd are serving as legal advisors. About Araris Biotech AGAraris Biotech is a leading company pioneering the future of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and redefining the entire paradigm of targeted cancer therapy and beyond. It is a spin-off company of the Paul-Scherrer-Institute (part of ETH domain) in Switzerland, with Dr. Philipp Spycher, Dr. Isabella Attinger-Toller and Dr. Dragan Grabulovski among its founders. Araris' vision is a world without chemotherapy and its proprietary conjugation and groundbreaking multi-payload technology represents a quantum leap forward in ADC design, enabling the transformation of any antibody into an ADC with the goal of better safety and efficacy. By enabling the attachment of multiple, synergistic cancer-fighting payloads to a single antibody in an efficient one-step process, Araris is creating a new generation of smart missiles that deliver the potency of combination chemotherapy in a targeted fashion in order to tackle the persistent challenges of cancer resistance. Araris' investors include 4BIO Capital, b2venture, Pureos Bioventures, Redalpine, Schroders Capital, VI Partners, Wille AG, Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation and Samsung Ventures. For more information, please visit: About Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Taiho Pharmaceutical, a subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. ( is an R&D-driven specialty pharma focusing on the fields of oncology and immune-related diseases. Its corporate philosophy takes the form of a pledge: 'We strive to improve human health and contribute to a society enriched by smiles.' In the field of oncology, in particular, Taiho Pharmaceutical is known as a leading company in Japan for developing innovative medicines for the treatment of cancer, a reputation that is rapidly expanding through their extensive global R&D efforts. In areas other than oncology, as well, the company creates and markets quality products that effectively treat medical conditions and can help improve people's quality of life. Always putting customers first, Taiho Pharmaceutical also aims to offer consumer healthcare products that support people's efforts to lead fulfilling and rewarding lives. For more information about Taiho Pharmaceutical, please visit References Attinger-Toller I. et al. "Abstract 2910: A CD79b-targeting ADC with superior efficacy in preclinical models of non-Hodgkin lymphoma." Cancer Research. 2022;82(12 Supplement):2910. Available from: Last accessed: March 12, 2025. Attinger-Toller I. et al. "Abstract LB124: Targeting NaPi2b with a novel dual-action ADC." Cancer Research. 2024;84(7 Supplement):LB124. Available from: Last accessed: March 12, 2025. Taiho Pharmaceutical Contact:Junko Onishi+81 80 1009 7683 junn-onishi@ Araris Contact: Araris Biotech AG info@ ICR HealthcareAmber Fennell, Kate CoyleAraris@ in to access your portfolio
