Dapeng Pharmaceutical Acquires Araris Biotech in $1.14 Billion Deal to Advance Next-Gen ADC Therapies
By Thomas Yuan, Health and Biotechnology Correspondent

LONDON — International venture capital firm 4BIO Capital announced on March 17, 2025, that its portfolio company Araris Biotech AG has entered into a landmark acquisition agreement with Dapeng Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. The deal, valued at up to $1.14 billion, includes a $400 million upfront payment, with an additional $740 million tied to short- and long-term clinical and commercial milestones. The acquisition is expected to be finalized in the first half of 2025.

The transaction underscores growing global investment in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs)—a fast-emerging class of targeted biopharmaceuticals that combine precision antibodies with cytotoxic payloads to attack cancer cells with minimal off-target toxicity.

A Strategic Bet on ADC Innovation

Founded in Switzerland, Araris Biotech specializes in developing next-generation ADC platforms, powered by its proprietary AraLinQ™ technology. The company has received continuous backing from 4BIO Capital, which first invested during Araris’s seed round in 2020 and later led its Series A in 2022.

4BIO recognized early on the unmet needs in ADC development—particularly in the linker-subunit technology that connects antibody and drug payloads. Araris’ AraLinQ™ platform addresses these challenges by enabling efficient, one-step conjugation of multiple payloads to a single antibody, improving both the therapeutic potency and stability of the resulting ADCs.

“Araris has built a world-class ADC platform with the potential to transform oncology treatment,” said Dima Kuzmin, Managing Partner at 4BIO Capital and Chair of the Araris Board. “This acquisition validates years of hard scientific work and strategic collaboration.”

Pipeline Positioned for Clinical Acceleration

Araris is currently advancing three preclinical ADC candidates for blood cancers and solid tumors, all developed using the AraLinQ™ system. The company anticipates beginning Phase I clinical trials between 2025 and 2026, a process expected to accelerate under the stewardship of Dapeng Pharmaceutical, known for its strength in clinical development and regulatory strategy.

Dapeng Pharmaceutical, a subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd., focuses on oncology and immune-related diseases, making it an ideal partner to translate Araris’s innovations into commercial therapies.

The acquisition not only reinforces Araris’s position as one of the leading ADC innovators globally, but also represents a strong exit for investors in 4BIO Ventures II, with expected returns exceeding 2x.

Expanding Global Reach and Clinical Depth

This transaction highlights the continued convergence of biopharmaceutical innovation, venture capital, and multinational pharmaceutical partnerships. It also reflects an increasing emphasis on precision oncology, targeted therapies, and medical technology platforms that can deliver next-generation cancer treatments.

As ADC development intensifies globally, the Araris-Dapeng deal is seen as a blueprint for how modular biotech platforms can transition from preclinical promise to clinical and commercial reality—backed by strong scientific validation, financial support, and strategic alignment.

With this acquisition, Dapeng Pharmaceutical expands its footprint in the life sciences sector, while Araris gains the resources and clinical infrastructure to bring its high-potential candidates closer to patients worldwide.

Source: https://pharm.jgvogel.cn/c1496683.shtml