VALANX Biotech Secures €3M to Fight Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

In a major step forward for oncology research, Vienna-based VALANX Biotech has secured €3 million in new financing to advance its lead antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) program. The funding round welcomes Foundation Fournier-Majoie and FUJIFILM Corporation as new investors, who join existing backers such as xista science ventures, tecnet equity, SOSV, Urs Spitz, and SkyGene.

The capital injection is heavily focused on developing VLX-ADC-001, a targeted therapy for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC). Because mTNBC lacks the hormone receptors that existing therapies typically target, patients historically face a severe shortage of viable treatment options.

VALANX’s promising drug candidate is designed to seek out the LIV-1 protein, which is commonly expressed in mTNBC tumors. By leveraging ADCs—which combine the targeting precision of antibodies with highly potent drug payloads—the company hopes to deliver a powerful new tool to oncologists.

A central challenge in the ADC field has been the manufacturing process itself. Traditional methods often rely on random conjugation, which can lead to inconsistent drug-to-antibody ratios and unpredictable toxicity.

VALANX disrupts this norm with its proprietary GoldenSite™ conjugation platform. This technology enables site-specific, highly controlled attachment of therapeutic payloads to antibodies, creating more consistent, predictable, and safer ADC molecules.

“LIV-1 is a compelling target in mTNBC, and GoldenSite gives us a practical way to precisely tune conjugation position to optimize the drug candidate's therapeutic window,” noted Michael Lukesch, Founder and CEO of VALANX Biotech.

The newly secured €3 million will fund the preclinical development of VLX-ADC-001, with official candidate selection slated for June 2026. Furthermore, the financial boost will support Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) readiness and expand industry partnering activities for the GoldenSite platform.

To help guide this crucial next phase, Ana Maricevic will formally join the VALANX Board of Directors, representing the Foundation Fournier-Majoie.

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🔖 Sources

VALANX Biotech secures €3 million to advance LIV-1 ADC for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

Vienna biotech VALANX lands €3M with Fujifilm for targeting metastatic breast cancer gap

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Keywords: Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

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