Mablink Bioscience (Mablink), a Lyon-based biotechnology company, has raised €31M in a Series A funding round led by Sofinnova Partners and Mérieux Equity Partners, with participation from existing investors.
Existing shareholders, Elaia Partners, UI-Investissement / Pertinence Invest 2 (advised by Mérieux Equity Partners), Sham Innovation Santé (advised by Turenne Capital), Fondation Fournier-Majoie, Simba Santé (Angelor) and Crédit Agricole Création also participated in the funding round.
The capital will allow Mablink to become clinical-stage biotech by bringing its lead candidate, MBK-103, into clinical development to treat solid tumors, notably ovarian cancer. At the same time, Mablink will build a pipeline of ADCs for solid tumors.
As part of the funding round, Dr. Calenda and Mr. Seghezzi join Mablink’s Board of Directors.
“We are very proud to be joined by such experienced investors,” says Jean-Guillaume Lafay, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Mablink. “They bring the necessary funds but also the expertise and network that will be critical for the success of Mablink in bringing its first ADC to the clinic. We also thank our historical investors who decided to reinvest in this round.”
Developing antibody-drug conjugates
Founded by Jean-Guillaume Lafay and Warren Viricel, Mablink Bioscience is a French biotechnology company developing the next generation of an emerging class of cancer drugs called antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).
Mablink’s technology is based on a unique structure of chemical links (called “linkers”) placed between an antibody and any chosen cytotoxic molecule to be delivered into tumor cells.
The linkers mask the cytotoxic molecule, which provides a “stealthy” property to Mablink’s ADCs, conferring two highly desirable pharmacological properties.
First, it enables ADCs to stay longer in the body and gives them more time to destroy tumor cells. Second, these stealth ADCs have greatly improved tolerability.
Consequently, it results in a 10-fold increase in the therapeutic index observed in animal models, a potentially game-changing factor for future clinical successes in the ADC space.
“Mablink offers a complete solution that tackles the challenges currently limiting the development of ADCs,” says Graziano Seghezzi, Managing Partner at Sofinnova Partners. “With its “masking” technology, we have the potential to build a pipeline of products for patients without real treatment options today. We look forward to working with Jean-Guillaume and his team to transform Mablink into a global ADC player.”
Valérie Calenda, the Managing Partner of Mérieux Equity Partners, says, “Merieux Equity Partners was attracted by the project at its inception in 2019 and decided to support it through its industrial accelerator M2Care before advising UI Investment and Pertinence Invest 2 to participate in the seed round. Since then, the quality of the team and progress reinforced our conviction that this platform can bring millions of patients safer and more potent ADCs thanks to an improved therapeutic window. As a result, we are delighted to continue supporting MabLink by co-leading this Series A financing with our venture fund OMX Europe.”
“After a €4M Seed funding a year ago, Mablink enters a new era. We are particularly proud of the success of this Series A funding, which will increase exponentially the capacities and investments of the company in research and development, the consolidation of its pipeline, as well as the hiring of seasoned profiles,” says Florian Denis, Investment Director at Elaia, on behalf of the Mablink’s historic investors.
