Swiss biotech
startup ALP Bio has secured €161,000 (CHF 150,000) from Venture Kick to support
the commercial development of its platform, which helps drug developers
identify immune-related risks earlier in the development process. By combining
human immune tissue models with artificial intelligence, the company aims to
improve the safety and success rate of next-generation biologic medicines.
Biologic drugs,
including many therapeutic antibodies, can trigger unwanted immune responses
that reduce treatment effectiveness, cause adverse side effects, and contribute
to costly failures during clinical development. Current methods for predicting
these responses often provide only limited insights, making it difficult for
developers to detect potential risks before clinical trials.
ALP Bio addresses
this challenge through a platform that combines human tonsil-derived immune
models with AI-based protein modelling to predict how the immune system is
likely to respond to therapeutic antibodies.
By generating insights based on
human biology, the technology enables researchers to identify and mitigate
immunogenicity risks at an earlier stage, supporting better drug design and
increasing the likelihood of successful clinical outcomes.
Founded by Dr Christian Vahlensiek (CEO), Dr Lucas Schaus (CSO), Anatol Ehrlich (CTO), and
Punit Mehra (CBO), ALP Bio brings together expertise in immunology, artificial
intelligence, protein engineering, and business development.
The Venture Kick
funding will support ALP Bio’s first pilot projects with pharmaceutical
partners. By co-financing these early collaborations, the company aims to
validate its technology in real-world settings, facilitate its adoption, and
strengthen its commercial position.