Oncomatryx Biopharma Secures €12.5M EIC Accelerator for ADC Development

Oncomatryx Biopharma, situated in Bilbao, Spain, is making waves in the biotechnology sector by spearheading advancements in Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) for cancer treatment. The company has recently been awarded a substantial financial boost from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator, a key component of the EU’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Program, which runs from 2021 to 2027. This funding includes a €2.5 million grant and a €10 million equity investment to be utilized in Oncomatryx's next financial round.

The EIC Accelerator is renowned for its competitiveness, drawing 959 applications this round. From these, only 40 companies across 16 countries were selected, with Oncomatryx being the sole representative in the oncology sector. Laureano Simón, CEO of Oncomatryx, expressed that this financial support marks a significant achievement for the company, endorsing their innovative oncology drug development strategies. The funding is intended to support the progression of ongoing Phase I clinical trials focusing on pancreatic, colorectal, and lung cancers, building on promising findings from earlier dose-escalation phases. Oncomatryx is dedicated to advancing new therapeutic options for patients facing difficult-to-treat solid tumors.

The company’s ADC platform is notable for its incorporation of proprietary payloads and advanced conjugation formats. With comprehensive research and development, chemistry, and conjugation capabilities, Oncomatryx is positioned as Europe’s most sophisticated ADC development platform, extending from initial discovery to clinical-stage progression. Their pioneering method combines a detailed understanding of tumor microenvironment biology with proprietary payloads and linker technologies. This positions Oncomatryx as an influential leader in the field of oncology innovation.

The company's primary ADC candidate, OMTX705, is currently undergoing clinical trials targeting the Fibroblast Activation Protein in tumors recognized for their aggressive nature and high unmet medical needs. Promising clinical results have been shared at the ASCO 2025 meeting, where 95 patients were treated in dose escalation and three backfilling cohorts of metastatic "immune-cold" solid tumors. The trials demonstrated an excellent safety profile with no dose-limiting toxicity and prolonged responses in patients expressing FAP. Ongoing randomized clinical trials are investigating its efficacy in metastatic pancreatic, MSS colorectal, and non-small cell lung cancers.

Beyond the accolades from the European Union, Oncomatryx has been acknowledged as a strategic company by the Government of Spain and the Basque Regional Government. The Spanish government’s R&D funding entity, CDTI, through its Innvierte co-investment initiative for strategic companies, along with the Basque Regional Government, have both made direct investments in Oncomatryx. These endorsements, combined with the EIC Accelerator funding, underscore Oncomatryx's critical role in propelling oncology innovation and cementing its status as a leading European entity in the ADC domain.