ALENTIS-THERAPEUTICS
15.6.2021 07:02:14 CEST | Business Wire | Press release
Alentis Therapeutics, the Swiss biotech developing breakthrough treatments for fibrotic diseases, today announced that it has raised USD67 (CHF60) million in a Series B financing round. The funding will be used primarily for proof-of-concept clinical trials of Alentis’ first in class, Claudin-1 targeting, anti-fibrotic molecules in advanced liver and kidney fibrosis, and support ongoing drug discovery programs targeting other fibrotic diseases and hepatobiliary cancers.
Morningside Venture Investments led the financing, joined by Jeito Capital and Series A investors BioMed Partners, BB Pureos Bioventures, Bpifrance through its InnoBio 2 fund, High-Tech Gründerfonds and Schroders Capital.
"Our investors recognize the high unmet medical need,” said Dr. Roberto Iacone, CEO of Alentis, “They feel a great sense of urgency to develop innovative treatments for patients with life-threatening fibrotic diseases as well as related deadly cancers such as hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma.” Dr. Iacone added, “This will fuel our strategy of expanding the indications for Claudin-1 targeting agents and further build our pipeline of proprietary product candidates.
Prof. Thomas Baumert, founder of Alentis, said that in the US and Europe alone, about 45% of deaths can be attributed to fibrotic disorders. He said that fibrosis affects nearly all tissues and organ systems such as the liver, kidneys and lungs.
“Fibrosis is an important risk factor for cancer, and Claudin-1 has a well-established role in cancer biology including tumor invasion and metastasis,” Prof. Baumert said. “Given the absent and unsatisfactory treatment options, it’s critical that we deliver new therapeutics for patients suffering from fibrosis and cancer.”
In addition, Alentis welcomed Jason Dinges of Morningside and Rafaèle Tordjman, founder and CEO of Jeito Capital, to its Board of Directors, effective immediately.
“We are excited about Alentis’ first-in-class approach to potentially enable effective treatments for fibrotic diseases with significant unmet medical need,” said Dr. Dinges. “We look forward to supporting this exceptional team as they pioneer modulation of Claudin-1, an important and highly promising target in fibrosis and oncology.”
“Our investment in Alentis is very much in line with Jeito’s goal to accelerate the growth of companies developing treatments for severely ill patients with no other options. We provide input into the science right through to the product’s market access,” said Dr. Tordjman. “Alentis has an outstanding and experienced team from pharma and biotech and is focused on a unique target, based on the founder’s work and his team of more than 10 years.”
Alentis' unique therapeutic approach focuses on the inhibition of Claudin-1 outside the tight junction and its downstream signalling acting on cell fate and plasticity. Alentis’ lead molecules ALE.F02 and ALE.C04 are highly selective anti-Claudin-1 mAb that recognize pathological overexpressed and conformation-dependent Claudin-1 epitopes in fibrotic disease and cancer. In preclinical studies, the lead molecule ALE.F02 modulates the function of non-junctional Claudin-1, preventing, and possibly reversing, the growth of fibrotic tissue within the liver and kidney by changing the plasticity of key cell types mediating fibrosis. Safety studies in non-human primates have supported translatability of the approach into patients. Alentis expects to initiate its first clinical trial in Q4 2021.
About Alentis Therapeutics
Alentis Therapeutics is a Swiss-based biotech that focuses on developing breakthrough treatments for fibrotic diseases. The company was founded in 2019 based on ground-breaking research in the laboratory of Prof. Thomas Baumert MD at the University of Strasbourg and the French National Institute of Health (Inserm).
The Company’s lead candidates are monoclonal antibodies that are highly selective for Claudin-1, a novel, previously unexploited target with a unique mechanism of action that plays a key role in the pathology of liver fibrosis and fibrosis-driven hepatobiliary cancers. It also has early discovery programs exploring the potential of Claudin-1 inhibition in the treatment of fibrosis of other tissues including the kidney and lung. These represent very large and expanding markets with high unmet need. Furthermore, the company uses a patient-derived drug and target discovery platform to develop medicines for advanced fibrosis.
Unlike current therapies in fibrosis, which mostly address the disease indirectly, Alentis’ pioneering approach has the potential to directly modify and reverse the course of disease progression.
Alentis is headquartered in Basel’s pharma-biotech hub in Switzerland with a subsidiary for R&D in Strasbourg, France.
For more information, visit https://alentis.ch/
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210614005688/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Andersen Consulting styrker sit cybersikkerhedstilbud gennem samarbejde med Trillium Information Security Systems21.3.2026 02:16:00 CET | Pressemeddelelse
Andersen Consulting udbygger sine kompetencer inden for teknologi og risikostyring gennem en samarbejdsaftale med Trillium Information Security Systems (TISS), et cybersikkerhedsfirma. Med en tilstedeværelse i Canada og Pakistan leverer TISS omfattende cybersikkerhedsløsninger til organisationer inden for finans, telekommunikation og den offentlige sektor. Virksomhedens team tilbyder et bredt udvalg af ydelser, herunder sikkerhedsvurderinger, managed security operations, red team-tjenester, digital efterforskning og hændelsesrespons samt GRC-rådgivning. Med næsten to årtiers erfaring leverer TISS adaptive, efterretningsdrevne forsvarsmekanismer, der hjælper kunder med at forudse og reagere på cybertrusler, der er i konstant udvikling. "Hos TISS arbejder vi på at skabe et mere sikkert digitalt miljø ved at give organisationer mulighed for at operere sikkert og med selvtillid," udtalte Mahir Mohsin Sheikh, administrerende direktør for TISS. "Vores samarbejde med Andersen Consulting giver
Andersen Consulting udvider sin teknologiplatform i Frankrig20.3.2026 17:28:00 CET | Pressemeddelelse
Andersen Consulting udvider sit udbud inden for digital transformation med en samarbejdsaftale med Teolia Consulting, et fransk firma, der specialiserer sig i projekt- og produktstyring, cloud-platformsudvikling, datatransformation samt implementering og brug af Atlassian-pakken. Teolia Consulting blev grundlagt i 2014 og hjælper organisationer med at opnå digital performance, fra agile metoder til løsninger, der reducerer lanceringstiden. Virksomhedens ekspertise består i at levere integrerede strategier, der bringer teknologi og organisatorisk forandring i overensstemmelse. Virksomheden arbejder på tværs af brancher, herunder inden for bank- og finanssektoren, forsikring, mode og detailhandel, og hjælper kunder med at få større robusthed og accelerere deres digitale modenhed. "Hos Teolia Consulting mener vi, at ægte transformation opstår, når teknologi og mennesker udvikler sig sammen," sagde Lucienne Jacquet, der er administrerende partner i Teolia. "Ved at samarbejde med Andersen C
Incyte to Highlight Late-Breaking Hidradenitis Suppurativa Data at the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting20.3.2026 15:00:00 CET | Press release
- New, late-breaking 54-week data for povorcitinib in hidradenitis suppurativa (STOP-HS1 & STOP-HS2) to be highlighted - Featured abstracts for ruxolitinib cream (Opzelura®) and povorcitinib include multiple ePosters in atopic dermatitis, hidradenitis suppurativa and vitiligo Incyte (Nasdaq:INCY) today announced that data from key programs in its Inflammation and Autoimmunity (IAI) franchise will be presented at the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting, to be held March 27 – 31, 2026, in Denver. “At AAD 2026, we are presenting late‑breaking 54-week results from the Phase 3 STOP‑HS program evaluating povorcitinib in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS),” said Jim Lee, M.D., Ph.D., Group Vice President, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, Incyte. “These data provide longer term evidence of the safety and efficacy of povorcitinib in HS patients and further strengthen the significant growth potential of our Inflammation and Autoimmunity franchise.” Details on key data presentation
MUSASHI JAPAN by TAIMATSU Launches “Road to Shogun” – A Journey Through Craftsmanship and Discovery20.3.2026 13:58:00 CET | Press release
Musashi Japan by TAIMATSU Co., Ltd., a contemporary Japanese knife brand rooted in the spirit of craftsmanship and cultural harmony, has announced its newest experiential campaign: “Road to Shogun.” This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260320887471/en/ Designed as the brand’s most ambitious customer journey to date, the campaign invites visitors to explore participating Musashi Japan stores while discovering the traditions, culture and craftsmanship that inspire the brand. Inspired by the journey towards mastery, the experience encourages participants to progress through a series of ranks whilst visiting stores and unlocking rewards that celebrate elements of everyday Japanese culture. At Musashi Japan, craftsmanship is not only about the final product, but also about the path taken to achieve mastery. The Road to Shogun reflects this philosophy by guiding customers through a journey that mirrors the dedication, cu
Futur Delivers Strong Growth and Record Profit in 202520.3.2026 12:05:00 CET | Press release
In 2025, Futur added 21,000 new customers and the inflows amounted to 34 billion kronor. At the end of the year, the total savings capital was 252 billion kronor, an increase of 7% from the previous year and a new record level. "2025 was a record year for Futur. In a market characterized by sharp market fluctuations, Futur continued to invest, grow and deliver strong results. Behind this record performance is stable customer growth, strong inflows and cost discipline. Our close cooperation with over 60 partners gives customers the freedom to choose the asset management and advisory services that best suit them. The strategy of letting the customer choose is appreciated, which is reflected in us welcoming more than 21,000 new customers during the year", says Torgny Johansson, CEO of Futur. "We are optimistic about the future. Futur has great opportunities to continue growing in the coming years by developing innovative and efficient services for savings and pensions. I am proud of how a
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom