Marche-en-Famenne, Belgium, November 18th, 2024 — ATB Therapeutics (‘ATB’ or ‘the
Company’) is excited to announce the successful completion of a €54 million Series A funding
round, aimed at accelerating the clinical development of a groundbreaking therapeutic antibody
pipeline derived from its proprietary ATBioFarm platform. The financing was co-led by EQT Life
Sciences and MRL Ventures Fund (MRLV), alongside contributions from V-Bio Ventures, VIVES
Partners, the Belgian sovereign fund SFPIM, Wallonie Entreprendre, Sambrinvest, and existing
investors.
ATB Therapeutics is dedicated to pioneering First-in-Class biologics that incorporate novel cell
killing mechanisms, including enzymatic functionalities within targeted antibodies. These rapidly
produced heterobifunctional antibodies combine multiple targeting and killing domains,
enhancing their effectiveness and safety compared to traditional conjugates. The ATBioFarm
technology facilitates the scalable, single-step production of these sophisticated, highly stable
and homogenous biologics, promising significant advancements across various therapeutic
applications.
The current capital increase will allow ATB to expand and enhance its state-of-the-art ATBioFarm
platform as well as to accelerate development of its unique “weaponized” antibodies for oncology
and immunology applications. ATB’s research and development operations will be extended to
Ghent and will continue in Marche-en-Famenne, where the Company is also setting up a cutting
edge pilot manufacturing facility.
In conjunction with this funding, ATB is excited to announce the appointment of Mark Throsby as
Executive Chairman. Mark is an industry veteran and the former Chief Scientific Officer of
Merus (NASDAQ: MRUS) where he was instrumental in the development of the bispecific antibody
therapeutics petosemtamab and zenocutuzumab. With his wealth of experience and expertise in
antibody development, Mark further strengthens the Company’s leadership, as ATB embarks on
this pivotal phase of growth. The Company is also welcoming seasoned biotech investors Karin
Kleinhans, Partner at MRLV, and John de Koning, Partner at EQT, to its Board of Directors.
“Our successful financing round demonstrates the strong potential of the ATBioFarm platform
and the confidence prominent international investors have in our vision,” stated Bertrand Magy,
CEO and co-founder of ATB Therapeutics. “We are grateful to our existing investors and the Région
Wallonne for their unwavering support. This funding will enable us to bolster our team, expand our
operations, and advance our mission to deliver transformative therapies to patients worldwide.”
Mark Throsby expressed his enthusiasm for this new role, stating, “I am particularly impressed by
the ATBioFarm platform’s capability to swiftly generate a diverse array of candidate molecules
with unique cytotoxic and targeting features. This innovative approach addresses critical challenges
in selecting ADC drug candidates and opens avenues for new mechanisms of action
that fulfill unmet clinical needs. I look forward to collaborating with the ATB team to bring this
vision to reality.”
“The founders of ATB Therapeutics have demonstrated remarkable entrepreneurial vision by
establishing a proprietary drug discovery, development, and manufacturing platform from the
ground up,” remarked John de Koning of EQT Life Sciences. “The platform’s ability to manufacture
antibodies from a single expression construct that integrates both targeting and direct cytotoxic
functions is truly exceptional, positioning ATB as a prospective leader in the next generation of
biopharmaceuticals.”
“At MRLV, our mission is to identify and support innovative technologies capable of transforming
treatment approaches and enhancing patient outcomes,” added Karin Kleinhans. “We are thrilled
to collaborate with ATB Therapeutics as they advance a pioneering class of antibody therapeutics
towards clinical development.”
About ATB Therapeutics
Founded in 2018, ATB Therapeutics is a pioneering biotechnology company based in Marche-en
Famenne, Belgium, dedicated to the discovery and development of novel antibody therapies.
Leveraging a proprietary technology platform based on plant molecular farming, ATB Therapeutics
aims to deliver targeted solutions to high unmet medical needs, including oncology and
autoimmune diseases, through innovative, next-generation of weaponized antibody treatments.
About EQT Life Sciences
EQT Life Sciences was formed in 2022 following an integration of LSP, a leading European life
sciences and healthcare venture capital firm, into the EQT platform. As LSP, the firm raised over
EUR 3.0 billion (USD 3.5 billion) and supported the growth of more than 150 companies since it
started to invest over 30 years ago. With a dedicated team of highly experienced investment
professionals, coming from backgrounds in medicine, science, business, and finance, EQT Life
Sciences backs the smartest inventors who have ideas that could truly make a difference for
patients.
About MRL Ventures Fund (MRLV)
MRL Ventures Fund (MRLV) is a therapeutics-focused corporate venture fund of Merck & Co., Inc.,
Rahway, N.J., USA. From its headquarters in Cambridge, Mass., USA, the MRLV team invests
globally in early-stage innovative therapeutics companies that are developing transformative
medicines in any therapeutics area using any modality. The MRLV team of experienced-life
sciences venture capital professionals is committed to supporting great entrepreneurs in their
quest to create value through building companies that have a meaningful impact on health and
disease. For more information, visit www.mrlv.com.
About V-Bio Ventures
V-Bio Ventures (www.v-bio.ventures) is an independent venture capital firm specialized in
financing and supporting innovative life sciences companies. V-Bio Ventures was founded in 2015
and works closely with Belgium-based VIB, one of the world’s leading research institutes in the
life sciences. The fund invests across Europe in high growth potential start-ups and young
companies targeting transformational innovations in the biotech, pharmaceutical and
agricultural sectors.
