Berlin Biotech Tacalyx Raises €11M for Cancer ADC
Tacalyx is targeting a 2027 trial application for hard-to-treat solid tumours.
Berlin-based biotech Tacalyx has raised €11 million in a seed extension round and named its first clinical candidate, TCX-201, an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) aimed at treating gastrointestinal cancers and other solid tumours. According to the company's press release, it plans to file a clinical trial application (CTA) in 2027.
The funding comes from Tacalyx's existing investor syndicate, including Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, Kurma Partners, High-Tech Gründerfonds, Eurazeo, Creathor Ventures, and Thuja Capital. Additional investors may join in a follow-on closing.
But what exactly does Tacalyx do? Founded in 2019 as a spin-out of the Max-Planck-Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam, the company focuses on a largely overlooked class of cancer targets called TACAs (Tumour Associated Carbohydrate Antigens). These are sugar structures that appear specifically on tumour cell surfaces during cancer development. They show up across many cancer types and, crucially, persist even when standard therapies fail. Historically, they have been considered nearly impossible to target with antibodies, leaving a huge therapeutic gap. Tacalyx has built a proprietary platform to close that gap, generating high-affinity antibodies against TACAs that can be developed into precision cancer therapies.
The new capital will fund TCX-201 through preclinical development while advancing Tacalyx's broader pipeline. A second clinical candidate is planned for selection by end of 2026.
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