AtG Therapeutics, a new R&D player in the field of oncology, announces its launch with a first round of financing collecting 556,000 euros. The financing round was supported by an international investment fund Blue Goose Capital, two groups of Business Angels at the national level, WA4STEAM and the StapleCat/Inveniam group, and several renowned international scientists.
Founded by researchers Oriol Casanovas and Gabriela Jiménez, with international advisor Bart Huisken, AtG Therapeutics will develop a portfolio of drugs for advanced cancer treatment. The company has a team with extensive consolidated experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry.
The company is progressing on two programs; a drug focused on a new therapeutic target involved in the metabolism of tumor cells and a patient selector that will allow the identification of those patients who will benefit from the treatment. Respectively, AtG 153 is already in the preclinical studies phase with animal models, and AngioDxPredict is in the prototype development phase. The initial portfolio will serve as the basis for further expansion into the future development of innovative R&D programs for various oncology indications.
The founders:
Oriol Casanovas. Biomedical researcher of the ProCURE Program (IDIBELL and ICO). Internationally recognized for his extensive knowledge and experience in basic and translational research on tumor angiogenesis and therapeutic resistance.
Gabriela Jiménez. Pharmacist, doctor in Biomedicine (UB), and Tech transfer leadership from UPF, she has received various trainings from the EADA and IESE business schools. She has extensive scientific knowledge and experience in the business world.
Bart Huisken is a serial entrepreneur, visionary, CEO mentor, board member and consultant with over 25 years of industry experience establishing startups and business units. Bart has an MBA from INSEAD.
“With a portfolio initially focused on three advanced cancers, kidney, colorectal, and breast cancer, we do not doubt that AtG will create significant value for patients and in an industry with an existing market opportunity,” notes Blue Goose Capital, Boston (MA).
“AtG Therapeutics fits perfectly with the requirements of the projects in which we want to invest: clear STEAM innovation, a female entrepreneur in the founding team, a competent and committed team, and a well-designed project meeting a well-defined market need“, WA4STEAM points out.
“We are proud to announce the launch of AtG Therapeutics -says Dr. Gabriela Jiménez, co-founder and CEO of the spin-off-. The high-quality assets in our product portfolio will potentially change the lives of patients without effective therapeutic alternatives.”
“It is very motivating and exciting to see how the work of so many years of research is already reaching a stage where it will soon become a reality for patients with advanced cancer and will help them fight this disease,” says Dr. Oriol Casanovas co-founder and CSO of AtG Therapeutics.
“We have contributed to the creation of AtG to accelerate the advances of Dr. Casanovas’ research group focused on the development of therapies based on precision medicine to help patients with advanced cancers,” adds Dr. Gabriel Capellá, director of IDIBELL.
About AtG Therapeutics
AtG Therapeutics is a recently created spinoff from IDIBELL and ICO. This project was supported by various international and national institutions, including the European Research Council (ERC), the “La Caixa” Foundation, the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC), the Carlos III Health Institute, and La Prospectiva en Salud en Spain (FIPSE).
The Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) is a biomedical research center created in 2004. It is participated by the Bellvitge University Hospital and the Viladecans Hospital of the Catalan Institute of Health, the Catalan Institute of Oncology, the University of Barcelona and the City Council of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat.
IDIBELL is a member of the Campus of International Excellence of the University of Barcelona HUBc and is part of the CERCA institution of the Generalitat de Catalunya. In 2009 it became one of the first five Spanish research centers accredited as a health research institute by the Carlos III Health Institute. In addition, it is part of the “HR Excellence in Research” program of the European Union and is a member of EATRIS and REGIC. Since 2018, IDIBELL has been an Accredited Center of the AECC Scientific Foundation (FCAECC).