Artios Secures $115M Series D Funding To Advance Innovative Cancer Therapies

The company is focused on developing next-generation anti-cancer therapies that exploit DDR pathways to improve outcomes for patients with hard-to-treat cancers.

Artios’ clinical-stage candidates include the ATR inhibitor alnodesertib and the DNA Polymerase theta (Polθ) inhibitor ART6043, alongside preclinical DDRi-ADC programs. These therapies are designed with novel biological mechanisms to target cancer cells’ remaining survival pathways. Notably, alnodesertib has shown durable responses in patients with ATM-deficient tumors, a population currently without approved therapies.

The Series D round was co-led by SV Health Investors and RA Capital Management, with participation from Janus Henderson Investors and other existing investors, including Andera Partners, Avidity Partners, EQT Life Sciences, Invus, IP Group plc, M Ventures, Novartis Venture Fund, Omega Funds, Pfizer Ventures, Piper Heartland, Sofinnova Partners, and Schroders Capital.

Proceeds will expand the clinical evaluation of alnodesertib in ATM-negative patients with second-line pancreatic cancer and third-line colorectal cancer, both recently granted US FDA Fast Track Designation. Funding will also support the initiation of a Phase 2 randomized trial for ART6043 in patients with BRCA-mutant HER2-negative breast cancer eligible for PARP inhibitors.

Artios’ mission remains to develop innovative DDR-targeted therapies to transform outcomes for patients with challenging cancers.

“This Series D accelerates our potential path to registration for both alnodesertib and ART6043, broadening development for the next generation of DNA damage response (DDR) therapeutics to indications among the highest of unmet need across pancreatic, colorectal, and breast cancers, where median survival is often measured in months,” said Mike Andriole, Chief Executive Officer of Artios.

“As we address these indications and prepare for others, I would like to thank our existing investors, led by SV Health, for their ongoing support, and also our new investors, RA Capital Management and Janus Henderson Investors, for joining our mission to bring these potential medicines to patients as quickly as possible.”

Nikola Trbovic, Managing Partner, SV Health Investors, added: “We are thrilled to have supported Artios’ evolution, from an early-stage DDR pioneer when we founded the company to the established company it has become, distinguished by a promising and differentiated pipeline. We look forward to continuing to do so as it deploys the Series D proceeds to drive late-stage development of alnodesertib as well as its pipeline.

This financing, and the recent appointment of Mike Andriole as CEO, are exciting steps in Artios’ continued growth and its transition toward becoming a commercially oriented organisation.”

Jake Simson, Partner, RA Capital Management, commented: “We are excited to co-lead this financing round to advance the next generation of DNA damage response therapeutics. Artios’ differentiated clinical programs, alnodesertib and ART6043, together have the potential to meaningfully expand the impact of DDR-targeted therapies.

The rate and durability of responses observed to date for alnodesertib across a range of solid tumours and the early clinical results with ART6043 underscore the strength of Artios’ approach and ability to deliver novel, potentially first-in-class treatments for patients while building significant long-term value.”

About Artios

Artios aims to combat cancer by targeting DNA damage response (DDR) pathways that tumors use to survive. Leveraging its expertise and the DcoDeR platform the company systematically discovers and develops innovative therapies designed to exploit DDR mechanisms, advancing next-generation treatments for hard-to-treat cancers.