Cellestia Biotech AG Raises CHF 20M to Finance Clinical Trial of its Gene Transcription Cancer Therapy

The financing round was led by FC Capital, Shanghai; PPF Group; Partners Investment, Seoul; and significant investments by existing and new private investors. The funds will be used to finance the operations and to advance the ongoing Phase l clinical trial into Phase II.

The EPFL's spin-off founded in 2014 Cellestia develops CB-103, a novel, first-in-class, oral pan-NOTCH inhibitor with a unique mode of action for treatment of NOTCH dependent leukemias, lymphomas and solid tumors. The startup focuses on small molecules capable of modulating a key cellular pathway controlling oncogenesis and cancer stem cells called Notch.

“This financing strengthens our balance sheet as we work to achieve important milestones for our clinical candidate CB-103 as well as the follow-up compounds,” said Gaudenz von Capeller, CFO of Cellestia Biotech AG. It will also allow Cellestia to advance its innovative R&D pipeline activity.

In June 2019, Guido Guidi (Former Head Europe Novartis Pharma / Head Novartis Oncology Europe) was elected new Chairman of Board of Directors. Robert Karsunky (Head Latin America & Canada at Novartis Pharma) elected new Chairman of the Audit Committee and to the Board of Directors.

Cellestia Biotech ranked among the most promising Swiss-based startups at the TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award in 2013 , four years in a row form 2016 to 2019 and was part of the Venture Leaders China Team in 2018.