Adcytherix raises €105M to supercharge next-gen cancer therapies

French biotech Adcytherix SAS has secured €105 million in Series A funding to launch clinical trials for its lead antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), ADCX-020, and develop novel payloads to overcome drug resistance in cancer treatment.

Why it matters: This is the largest Series A round for a European ADC company in 2025, positioning Adcytherix to tackle resistance to current ADC therapies, one of oncology’s biggest challenges. Adcytherix´s response to this challenge is lead candidate ADCX-020, which targets solid tumors using a topoisomerase I-blocking exatecan payload.

Backstory: Founded just 18 months ago, Adcytherix previously raised €30 million in seed funding and is operating in France, the Netherlands, and the US. Its leadership team also built Emergence Therapeutics, which Eli Lilly acquired in 2023 for its ADC expertise.

Big picture: ADCs are reshaping cancer treatment, but most rely on only two payload types. Adcytherix aims to expand this toolbox, potentially reaching patients who no longer respond to existing therapies.

Zoom in: Adcytherix´s investors include Andera Partners, Angelini Ventures, Bpifrance, and RA Capital, while it has forged partnerships with Wuxi XDC and MImAbs for rapid development and scale-up.

What’s next: IND filings are expected by November 2025, and phase I trials are scheduled to begin in Q1 2026.