Alentis Raises $105 Million to Advance Therapeutics for Cancer and Fibrosis

Rare Daily Staff

Swiss biotech Alentis Therapeutics has raised $105 million in a series C financing to advance the development of its lead programs for organ fibrosis and oncology.

Jeito Capital, Novo Holdings, and RA Capital Management led the financing with participation from existing investors including BB Pureos Bioventures, Bpifrance through its InnoBio 2 fund, and Schroders Capital.

Alentis Therapeutics was built on the discovery that Claudin-1 (CLDN1) represents a previously unexplored target with a unique mechanism of action in the pathology of immune evasive tumors and fibrosis in chronic diseases. CLDN1 is a member of the tight junction protein family. During disease pathogenesis, CLDN1 expression is upregulated and exposed outside of the tight junction. Exposed CLDN1 drives remodeling and stiffening of the extracellular matrix (ECM) as well as carcinogenic and fibrogenic signaling in different organs.

Alentis’ approach harnesses the high specificity and potency of its anti-CLDN1 monoclonal antibodies to target exposed non-junctional CLDN1, revert pathogenesis associated with ECM remodeling and fibrosis, and sensitize solid tumors to immuno-oncologic and chemotherapeutic medication.

The new financing will support phase 2 and phase 1 programs of Alentis’ lead investigational products ALE.F02 and ALE.C04 respectively as well as the CLDN1 platform development.

“There are huge unmet needs in organ fibrosis and cancer, and this funding enables us to continue with the important work we’re doing in the CLDN1 space and generate clinical data from both our programs,” said Roberto Iacone, CEO at Alentis Therapeutics. “We can now aggressively develop CLDN1 biology in oncology and continue with the recruitment of our organ fibrosis trials while advancing our ADC and bi-specific antibodies.”

Photo: Roberto Iacone, CEO at Alentis Therapeutics