Nanoligent, a biotechnology company specialized in the development of
targeted nanodrugs for cancer treatment, has closed a €12 million funding round. The round was led
by Inveready, through its Inveready Biotech IV fund, with additional participation from CDTI (via the
Innvierte program), Clave Capital, through its Clave Innohealth fund, and current investors i&i Biotech
Fund I, Italian Angels for Growth, and Avanteca.
This capital injection will allow Nanoligent to complete the regulatory preclinical development of its
lead compound, NNL1524, and advance into the clinic with a Phase Ia study in patients with solid
tumors. The funding will also support manufacturing scale-up and optimization of production
processes.
The company is led by Dr. Montserrat Cano, CEO, and Manuel Rodríguez, Chairman of the Board, both
with a strong track record in drug development and management of biotech projects and companies.
Founded in 2017 as a spin-off of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and the Institut de
Recerca at Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Nanoligent’s technology is based on advanced protein
engineering and nanobiotechnology to develop highly selective, multivalent cytotoxic nanoparticles
targeting specific tumor markers.
Its lead candidate, NNL1524, targets CXCR4, a membrane receptor involved in tumorigenesis, cell
proliferation, and metastasis, which is overexpressed in various hematological malignancies and solid
tumors such as colorectal cancer, lung carcinoma, and breast cancer. In animal models, NNL1524 has
demonstrated strong efficacy, achieving significant tumor regression as a monotherapy, with a
favorable safety profile. These results reinforce its potential as a new therapeutic option in areas where
significant unmet clinical needs remain.
Dr. Montserrat Cano, CEO of Nanoligent, commented:
“This is a very important moment for Nanoligent. We feel deeply grateful for the significant recognition
it represents, both at the national level with the incorporation of the new investors, and through the
continued trust of our international investors. Their knowledge of the sector will be of great value in
achieving the company’s upcoming milestones. Our team is fully prepared and committed to
enthusiastically embracing the challenges of this new stage and to bringing our technology to where it
truly matters: the patients who need it.”
“We strongly believe in the potential of Nanoligent’s nanodrugs to overcome the limitations of
conventional cytotoxic conjugate therapies. Their low molecular weight, high cellular internalization capacity, and strong selectivity for the therapeutic target provide advantages. We are pleased to lead
this round alongside a strong syndicate of specialized national and international investors,” said
Antonio Herce, Director at Inveready.
“We are delighted to join this new phase of Nanoligent, where the robustness of the preclinical results
and the excellence of its team have demonstrated a level of quality that makes a real difference in the
development of new oncological therapies,” said Ignacio Prieto. Investment Analyst at Clave Capital.
The transaction was advised by Hoffmann Eitle and VentureTech Audit.