19th Annual European Life Sciences CEO Forum

Eleva is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing previously inaccessible biological therapeutics. Eleva’s disruptive moss-based technology platform enables GMP-scale manufacturing of human proteins with tremendous therapeutic potential that have been too challenging to manufacture using other approaches. The company’s proprietary pipeline includes candidates for complement disorders and enzyme replacement therapies. The lead program, CPV-104 recombinant human complement Factor H, is in Phase 1b testing to treat C3 Glomerulopathy (C3G). An intravitreal formulation of the candidate is in late preclinical development to treat dry AMD. The company’s aGal (RPV-001) program has completed a positive Phase 1b single-dose clinical trial to treat Fabry disease.

DelSiTech is a technology platform company specializing in long-acting formulations, dedicated to transforming the treatment landscape in the areas of metabolic disease and pain through our lead long-acting injectable assets.

DelSiTech’s proprietary Silica Matrix technology platform is highly versatile and has demonstrated compatibility with a wide range of therapeutic agents, including small molecules, peptides, and large biologics. The product can be formulated to release drug over days, weeks, or even months, providing patients and caregivers with possible access to long-lasting treatment options.

DelSiTech believes in collaboration. Our global partner network spans the biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical industries, and we remain dedicated to working together to advance ultra long-acting drug delivery solutions through our Silica Matrix technology.

ErVimmune is a French biotechnology company pioneering a new class of cancer immunotherapies targeting antigens derived from human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) - an untapped and shared source of tumor-specific epitopes.

ExpreS2ion is a clinical-stage biotechnology company turning precise protein engineering into immunotherapies for cancer and infectious diseases.

Our lead asset, ES2B-C001, is an active immunotherapy for HER2-positive and HER2-low breast cancer. Rather than delivering an antibody, it trains a patient's own immune system to produce a sustained anti-HER2 response. In our first-in-human Phase I trial, anti-HER2 antibody responses have been observed in all nine evaluable patients to date, with titres rising across dosing visits and holding at follow-up, and no safety signals of concern. The highest dose cohort opened in May 2026, with primary readout expected end-2026 and Phase II targeted for mid-2027.

ES2B-C001 is built on the ExpreS2™ platform, our proprietary protein expression technology used across more than 500 recombinant protein and virus-like particle projects. Proteins made on the platform have been evaluated in clinical programmes worldwide, including partnered Phase III studies that met their primary endpoints.

ExpreS2ion develops VLP-based vaccines with AdaptVac ApS, in which it holds a 34% stake, and is listed on Nasdaq First North Growth Market (EXPRS2).

Fapon Biopharma develops biologics targeting cancers, autoimmune disorders, CNS diseases, and other unmet medical needs. Our platforms include FILTEN (IL-10M Fusion Protein), Bi/Tri-TCE (VHH-based), targeted LNP delivery with bi-specific antibody ligands, PROTiNb, and more. With a differentiated pipeline and end-to-end capabilities from discovery to early clinical development, we are dedicated to delivering innovative medicines that improve patient outcomes worldwide.

Hephaistos pharma develops the next generation TLR4 immunostimulants, with first-in-class IV injection to address unmet needs in oncology, with unprecedented results in combinations and monotherapy.

Hephaistos is a French preclinical stage company with first-in-class TLR4 immunostimulants for oncology injected in IV .
We have shown efficacy on metastases, working as single agent as well as combination therapy, and memory effect to prevent relapse.

Our results:
- 100%CR in lymphoma in combination with anti-CD20
- 57%CR in colorectal cancer in combination with anti-PD1
- 78%CR in osteosarcoma in monotherapy (major breakthrough, nothing works in this indication)

Our strategy is a quick market access with osteosarcoma to generate early revenues (we have received an ODD in this indication), and in parallel pursue combination to trigger deals with big pharmas to tackle large indications.

Market size of intravenous immunostimulants is 10 times bigger than intratumoral ones.

Based in Oslo, Norway, Lytix Biopharma is a clinical-stage biotech company with a highly differentiated oncolytic molecule platform based on world-leading research in host-defense peptide-derived molecules. Lytix Biopharma’s lead product, ruxotemitide (formerly LTX-315), is a potent, safe and well-tolerated first-in-class oncolytic molecule representing a new approach to maintaining durable anti-cancer immunity. Lytix Biopharma has a pipeline of molecules that work across multiple cancer indications and treatment settings, both as mono- and combination therapy.

Metys Pharmaceuticals AG is pioneering next-generation treatments for neuropathic pain and cognitive impairment with our patented non-racemic dimiracetam, MP-101 — a 3:1 R-to-S enantiomer mixture that's significantly more potent than its racemic predecessor.

Building on a successful Phase 2 trial in 117 patients showing safety and promising efficacy against HIV-associated pain, we've secured worldwide patents and FDA confirmation to leverage existing data for accelerated development.

We're now advancing MP-101 into a Phase 2 trial to prevent oxaliplatin-induced cold sensitivity in colorectal cancer patients, with proven preclinical results across broader neuropathic and cognitive models.

We seek CHF 20 million in two tranches: 1.5 million for initial cGMP production and regulatory submissions, followed by 18.5 million post-approval for the trial. This positions us for rapid value creation in a multi-billion-dollar market.

Let's partner to bring this breakthrough to patients—I'm Mike Scherz, founder and CEO.

O11 is a biotech spin-off from Aachen University Hospital developing an entirely novel COPD drug to tackle hypercapnia. Having demonstrated preclinical safety and efficacy and establshing GMP production, O11 is now ready for Phase 1 and is currently raising Series A.

PhoreMost is a Cambridge UK-based biotechnology company dedicated to turning scientific breakthroughs into life-changing cancer therapies. The company has a number of disclosed alliances with partners, including Roche and Boehringer Ingelheim.

PMC-001 | Phase-1 ready asset positioned for solid tumours including brain metastasis.

PMC-002 | Novel synthetic lethal target for treatment of HPV+ cancers

PMC-003 | Degrader driven by novel ligase to overcome limitations of pan-BRD4i

TPD Platform | ‘Beyond Cereblon’ chemical ligase platform(s) for protein-of-interest degradation and pipeline expansion.

Akasi Pharma is a Copenhagen-based therapeutics company developing a selective somatostatin receptor 4 (SSTR4) small peptide agonist for peripheral neuropathic pain, initially diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain. The company’s strategy is to translate a clinically validated pain target into a peripherally acting therapy with a safety-focused profile suitable for chronic use.

A key differentiator is Akasi’s peptide-based approach and long-acting injectable design. In pain, many programs are small molecules, while peptides can enable high receptor selectivity and deliberate tuning of exposure and duration. Akasi has generated long-acting peptide leads and is advancing them through lead optimization to support infrequent dosing and sustained peripheral target engagement. The long-acting injectable profile is also intended to support improved long-term usability and to reduce gastrointestinal side effects by avoiding frequent oral dosing and limiting systemic exposure peaks, and the peptide modality avoids CNS penetration seen be many competitors.

The program also emphasizes drug–drug interaction risk management, including evidence of favorable behavior on renal transporters relevant to metformin elimination, which is important in diabetic populations where polypharmacy is common.

ELARIS is a biotechnology company developing next-generation bacterial vaccines that preserve health and quality of life, particularly in aging populations. The company’s lead program is a highly differentiated vaccine against Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile), a severe hospital-acquired diarrheal infection that disproportionately affects elderly and vulnerable patients. By shifting the focus from treatment to prevention, ELARIS aims to reduce hospitalizations, antibiotic use, and the growing burden of antimicrobial resistance.

Epitome Therapeutics is developing a new therapeutic modality for precise and durable activation of endogenous genes through epigenetic programming. The company focuses on genetic and metabolic diseases, with initial programs in liver-directed indications. Epitome is led by an experienced management team with a strong track record in building and advancing innovative biotechnology companies.

Hemastatx is committed to bringing scientific innovation to patients with severe and underserved bleeding disorders.

A spin-off from KU Leuven, Hemastatx has secured initial funding from an international syndicate led by BaseLaunch.

Hemastatx's lead program, HMX-001, is a first-in-class antibody therapy designed to treat severe bleeding episodes in patients with disorders related to von Willebrand factor (VWF), including VWD type 2A and acquired von Willebrand Syndrome. Unlike current treatments that manage symptoms, HMX-001 directly targets the root cause of bleeding by inhibiting ADAMTS13, an enzyme responsible for excessive VWF degradation. This mechanism restores critical clotting function in patients with limited therapeutic options.

Preclinical studies with HMX-001 demonstrate clear target engagement and preservation of HMW VWF multimers across relevant disease models and ex vivo assays. This robust dataset is the base of a broad intellectual property portfolio.

kezbio designs next-generation small molecules to unlock the therapeutic potential of clinically validated and emerging targets at the intersection of metabolism, fibrosis and oncology, many of which have long been considered beyond the reach of traditional drug discovery.

kezbio develops new tissue-specific covalent inhibitors for liver fibrosis (MASH) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Our proprietary Intelligent Fragment Evolution Platform, powered by our Selectase® enzyme family, gives us access to new chemical space that is synthesizable by design, delivering target-validated results within weeks. We engineer precision covalent drugs that selectively modulate disease-driving proteins, built for improved selectivity, efficacy, and durable target engagement.

Founded in 2022 and based in the Potsdam, Germany, kezbio has raised over €3.4M in dilutive and non-dilutive funding to date, including support from the State of Brandenburg, Germany, and the EU.

Meddenovo Drug Design is a Lyon-based drug design company developing cyclic peptide therapeutics for oncology and radiopharmaceuticals. The company was founded to address a fundamental bottleneck in early drug discovery: the difficulty of generating viable lead candidates for complex and hard-to-drug targets when no starting molecule exists.

Meddenovo is incubated at Bayer Life Hub, benefiting from a strong innovation ecosystem and close interaction with industry expertise. The company has raised €1.7M in total funding, combining equity and non-dilutive support. Meddenovo is also an i-Lab laureate, a highly selective French government deep-tech program that recognizes startups with high innovation potential, and significant growth prospects. Through this program, Meddenovo receives direct public funding and benefits from long-term institutional trust, reflecting national-level confidence in its technology and team.

After finalizing its pre-seed round in 2025, Meddenovo successfully achieved its planned development and business milestones. In less than two years, the company advanced its technology into a robust, ready-to-use AI platform dedicated to cyclic peptide drug design, which is now actively applied in drug discovery projects.

Meddenovo’s proprietary AI/ML-powered platform enables the de novo design and optimization of cyclic peptide drug candidates. Unlike traditional approaches that depend on prior experimental data or limited libraries, the platform allows rational exploration of a large and biologically relevant chemical space while prioritizing drug-like properties, target engagement, and functionalization potential. This makes the technology particularly well suited for oncology applications, including targeted radiopharmaceuticals.

Meddenovo advances its own internal pipeline while forming strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical companies. The company has already entered into a partnership agreement with a large pharmaceutical group, providing early industrial validation of its scientific approach and technology.

Meddenovo is currently preparing its seed financing round, planned to be finalized in 2026, to further advance its cyclic peptide pipeline and expand strategic partnerships in oncology.

Nerai develops in vivo CRISPR editors that reach mutations others cannot. A single editor treats many rare diseases, compounding small, individually unprofitable orphan indications into one scalable, blockbuster-scale asset. Our vision: no disease stays too rare to be worth a cure.

OncoNex-Remunity Inc. is a clinical-stage company founded in 2024 that is based in Houston, Texas, and Paris, France; the company is currently incorporating an affiliate in Hong-Kong. A project supported by NxR Biotechnologies GmbH (Basel, Switzerland), OncoNex-Remunity is advancing the development of two best-in-class big pharma legacy Phase I/II assets. Its pre-clinical portfolio is comprised of a late preclinical first-in-class big pharma-legacy TCE and a proprietary platform technology patented in 2025 to develop immunostimulatory ADCs, including dual payload ones to selectively destroy T-regs in the tumour micro-environment. OncoNex-Remunity is formally supported by Paris Saclay Cancer Cluster and incubated in France in the Servier/BioLabs incubator, and in the USA by Portal Innovations and TMCi. The company has access to world-renowned KOLs who notably have been instrumental in the recent approvals of leading cancer therapeutics for several big pharmas.

First-in-Class STAT5 Oligomerization Inhibitors - Overcoming Drug Resistance in FLT3+ Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Tandem Therapeutics is a mechanomedicine company pioneering a new class of disease-modifying antifibrotics through mechano-targeted Peptide-Drug Conjugates (PDCs).

Our proprietary peptides turn the fibrotic microenvironment, long considered a barrier to therapy and a key disease driver, into a selective delivery system, enabling potent and safe treatments for progressive fibrosis. The company’s lead program targets progressive pulmonary fibrosis, with a modular platform expandable across fibrotic organs.

Moving beyond approved Ras-MAPK pathway inhibition, TheraPPI targets pathway dysregulation through a founder-identified PPI drug target. Robust preclinical data support the potential for superior and more durable therapeutic efficacy against cancer.

Ultimate Medicine (UM) is a Swiss preclinical biotech focused on maximizing the healthspan of patients with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. The company is pioneering a class of small molecules targeting elevated levels of a novel toxic metabolite that disrupts critical neuronal functions and accelerates disease progression. The company’s lead program is an oral small-molecule inhibitor designed to block metabolite synthesis, thereby reducing systemic and brain exposure through natural clearance mechanisms.

Vectiopep: Unlocking T-Cell Potency via Precision mRNA Delivery

Vectiopep is a preclinical-stage biotech pioneering a next-generation mRNA delivery platform designed to overcome the "liver-sink" limitations of current technologies. Our mission is to transform the treatment landscape for cold tumors, specifically Micro-satellite Stable Colorectal Cancer (MSS CRC), where standard immunotherapies often fail.

The Technology:
- Leveraging our proprietary, patented peptide-based mRNA vector, Vectiopep enables a fundamental shift in biodistribution. We achieve >99% selective delivery to the lymphoid organs, with negligible off-target liver accumulation.
- This precision triggers an unprecedented immune response, driving 10x stronger antigen-specific T-cell activation than industry-standard lipid nanoparticle (LNP) benchmarks, significantly widening the therapeutic window.

Pipeline & Status:
While our lead program focuses on MSS CRC, our platform’s superior biodistribution has broad-spectrum applicability, including in vivo CAR-T and high-potency preventive vaccination for complex pathogens. With our core patent granted and €1.2M in recent funding, we have finalized Lead Candidate selection and are now advancing toward Lead Compound selection in H2 2026.

Duo Oncology is rebuilding the foundation of cancer medicine with single infusion, prodrugs designed to replace multi-agent chemotherapy regimens in solid tumors. Its lead program, DUO-207, consolidates commonly co-administered cytotoxic agents into a single, tumor-targeted prodrug designed to improve intratumoral exposure while reducing systemic toxicity. The program is supported by completed IND-enabling studies, orphan drug designations, and strong preclinical benchmarks versus standard of care. Duo is advancing toward first-in-human studies with a capital-efficient clinical strategy focused on rapid clinical validation and strategic partnering, supported by both strategic pharmaceutical investment and non-dilutive funding.