Vienna’s VALANX secures €3 million to push preclinical ADC programme in breast cancer

Vienna-based VALANX Biotech GmbH secured €3 million in an initial financing round to further develop its lead ADC programme. New investors include the Foundation Fournier-Majoie and FUJIFILM Corporation, joining existing backers such as xista science ventures, tecnet equity, SOSV and angel investors Urs Spitz and SkyGene.

The funding will support the preclinical development of VLX-ADC-001, an ADC targeting LIV-1 for the treatment of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC), with candidate selection planned for June 2026. It will also advance GMP readiness and partnership activities for the company’s proprietary GoldenSite™ conjugation platform. As part of the financing round, Ana Maricevic has joined VALANX’s Board of Directors, representing the Foundation Fournier-Majoie.

ADC field progresses rapidly

ADCs are considered a transformative class in oncology, combining the targeting precision of antibodies with highly potent payloads to selectively attack tumour cells. One of the biggest challenges in ADC development is controlling side effects while maximising efficacy. VALANX’s GoldenSite platform addresses this by enabling precise and reproducible conjugation at defined sites, potentially improving therapeutic outcomes and optimising safety profiles.

Michael Lukesch, founder and CEO of VALANX, commented: “LIV-1 is a highly promising target in mTNBC. GoldenSite allows us to fine-tune the conjugation position, optimising the therapeutic window of our drug candidates. Our goal is to advance VLX-ADC-001 to a robust preclinical data package by June 2026 while moving GoldenSite towards GMP readiness and strategic partnerships.” Ana Maricevic of the Foundation Fournier-Majoie added: “VALANX is addressing a core challenge in the ADC field – controlling toxicity to unlock greater efficacy. We are committed to supporting the advancement of VLX-ADC-001 alongside Fujifilm and the existing investor group.”

ADCs: a market perspective

Antibody-drug conjugates have attracted growing attention in recent years. With several approved products and numerous clinical programmes, ADCs are among the most promising areas in oncology. In Europe, major financing rounds and high-value partnerships have highlighted the field’s potential. For example, the German-French start-up Emergence Therapeutics was acquired in 2023 by Eli Lilly for a triple-digit million sum shortly after its founding. Its French follow-up project Adcytherix has already raised over €130 million within a few years. Munich-based Tubulis has secured more than €540 million through multiple record-breaking financing rounds in Germany to name a fey of the major headlines, beside a growing crowd of European companies in ADC.

Key challenges remain, including reducing side effects, optimising the drug-to-antibody ratio, and controlling the conjugation site. Platforms such as GoldenSite could provide a decisive advantage by enabling precise, reproducible and effective ADC production.