Biotech
3 Early-Stage Swiss Biotech Startups Developing New Immunotherapies
DealBio tracks early-stage biotech startups across Europe and North America. These three Swiss immunotherapy developers are exploring distinct ways to influence immune activity in cancer and inflammatory disease.
- Immunology
- Immuno-oncology
- Cell Therapy
- Small Molecules
- Academic Spinout
The immune system offers a powerful route to treating disease, but its response is finely balanced. In cancer, immune cells may be suppressed by signals inside a tumour. In chronic inflammatory conditions, immune pathways can remain active and damage healthy tissue. Designing treatments that influence the right response at the right time has become a central opportunity for drug developers.
Swiss startups are approaching this challenge through different therapeutic formats. Receptor-modulating small molecules can change how immune signals are received. Engineered natural killer cells can be directed towards harmful cells. Oral inhibitors aim to interrupt inflammatory signals further upstream. Together, the approaches show how early-stage immunotherapy is extending beyond a single treatment type or disease category.natural killer cellsimmunotherapy
At a Glance
- Adoram TherapeuticsSwitzerland2022A2A receptor-modulating small molecules
- Inkocell TherapeuticsSwitzerland2026Engineered natural killer cell therapies
- Innunity TherapeuticsSwitzerland2026Oral inhibitors of innate immune signalling
Developing small-molecule immunotherapies for cancer and inflammatory diseases
- Country
Switzerland- Founded
- 2022
- Sector
- Biotech
- Funding stage
- Seed or earlier
Why Adoram Therapeutics stands out
Adoram Therapeutics emerged from the University of Geneva with a distinctive approach to the adenosine A2A receptor, a signalling switch that can influence immune activity. Its solid-tumour programme has a reported European patent grant, while preclinical work has demonstrated activity in laboratory systems and mouse models with high adenosine levels. These are early but concrete advances for a mechanism-led drug programme.
The startup secured private pre-seed financing in 2025, including participation from Ipalmetrix and FONGIT. A separate CHF 1.05 million Innosuisse research grant supports its anti-inflammatory work with University of Geneva researchers. That funding gives the team resources to pursue two applications of the receptor biology without conflating research support with equity raised.
What Adoram Therapeutics is building
The startup develops small molecules that change how the adenosine A2A receptor responds to signals. Its cancer programme uses negative allosteric modulation, a way to reduce receptor activity by binding outside the usual signalling site, with the aim of countering immune suppression around solid tumours.
A second programme investigates a different form of A2A modulation to reduce excessive inflammation. Both remain at the preclinical stage, but the paired programmes illustrate how precise control of the same receptor can be explored for distinct therapeutic purposes.
Developing engineered natural killer cell therapies for cancer and fibrotic disease
- Country
- Switzerland
- Founded
- 2026
- Sector
- Biotech
- Funding stage
- Seed or earlier
Why Inkocell Therapeutics stands out
Inkocell Therapeutics builds on research at EPFL into natural killer (NK) cells, immune cells that can recognise and destroy abnormal cells. In laboratory experiments, the founding cardiac-fibrosis project demonstrated targeted killing of activated fibroblasts, the cells responsible for producing excess scar tissue. This finding supplies a starting point for the platform while remaining distinct from evidence of benefit in patients.
The research programme received a CHF 100,000 EPFL Innogrant and a Swiss National Science Foundation grant awarded to co-founder Mathieu Girardin for predecessor cardiac-fibrosis research. Co-founder Angela Madurga Alonso received EPFL’s CHF 50,000 Isabelle Musy Award. The project also joined MassChallenge Switzerland and Nucleate programmes, combining academic origins with venture-development support.
What Inkocell Therapeutics is building
Inkocell Therapeutics is engineering NK cells with receptors designed for the cells’ biology, aiming to recognise and eliminate harmful targets in cancer and fibrotic disease. Fibrosis is the accumulation of scar-like tissue that can impair organ function.
Its approach explores treatments manufactured without customising cells for each patient. The immediate work is preclinical, focused on demonstrating selective cell targeting and developing a platform that could be manufactured consistently for future therapeutic use.
Developing oral immune-pathway inhibitors for chronic inflammatory diseases
- Country
- Switzerland
- Founded
- 2026
- Sector
- Biotech
- Funding stage
- Seed or earlier
Why Innunity Therapeutics stands out
A spinout of the University of Zurich, Innunity Therapeutics is developing treatments that intervene in innate immune signalling, the body’s fast first-line response to infection and tissue damage. Research behind its founding multiple-sclerosis programme produced mouse data on preventing disability through the pathway, giving the team an experimental foundation for further drug development.
Innunity has obtained CHF 150,000 in Venture Kick support, including a grant and convertible loans. Co-founder Thorsten Buch brings academic expertise in immune tolerance and autoimmunity, while Barna Gal combines clinical experience with previous biotech startup work. The startup also received a 2026 Biology Explorers Award through Nucleate Switzerland and Genentech.
What Innunity Therapeutics is building
Innunity Therapeutics is developing oral small-molecule medicines that inhibit an early immune signalling pathway. Its preclinical INNU-1 programme initially focuses on Behçet’s disease, an inflammatory condition that can affect the mouth, eyes, blood vessels and other organs.
The aim is to control excessive immune activation through a targeted, orally administered treatment. The broader research programme explores whether the same pathway could offer new options for other chronic inflammatory diseases.
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Investment perspective
Three different treatment formats point to a more precise understanding of how immune activity can be redirected. Drug programmes can now be built around specific receptor interactions, engineered immune-cell behaviour or the earliest signals that trigger inflammation. This creates therapeutic options across both excessive immune activity and immune suppression in cancer.
The pathways to value creation differ. Small-molecule programmes can build on medicinal chemistry, mechanism studies and oral-drug development. Engineered cell therapies bring additional considerations around manufacturing consistency and delivery. Across both formats, early research gains significance as startups establish selective activity, reproducible biological effects and a development route suited to the disease being treated.
Switzerland’s academic and venture ecosystem is visible throughout this group. University-origin research, competitive non-dilutive funding, protected technology and founder experience provide foundations for ambitious programmes. The next steps will be defined by how effectively each translates that starting science into a candidate and evidence package appropriate for its chosen patients.
Methodology
DealBio selected these three early-stage Swiss biotech startups for their distinct immunotherapy approaches spanning immune suppression in cancer, engineered immune-cell treatments and chronic inflammatory disease. The selection focuses on clearly defined therapeutic mechanisms and early evidence or venture-development milestones. DealBio builds its Startup Briefs using publicly available startup materials, ecosystem sources, market references and professional profiles.