Lever Bio Announces a €4 Million Financing Round and a Strategic Partnership with VIB to Advance Four Novel Immuno-Oncology Assets

Turin, Italy, 28^th May 2025 – Lever Bio - a newly established biotech company pioneering innovation in immuno-oncology - announces a €4 million financing round led by Claris Ventures and a strategic partnership with VIB - a leading life sciences research institute in Belgium - securing access to VIB’s key intellectual property (IP) to further develop and finance four novel VHH antibody-based therapies. The collaboration exploits the expertise of Professor Massimiliano Mazzone, an internationally recognized leader in tumor immunology and immuno-metabolism, and his team at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology.

Checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized cancer treatment, yet a significant proportion of patients - particularly up to 70% of patients with solid tumors - fail to respond or develop resistance, highlighting the urgent need for alternative immuno-oncology strategies that can overcome immune evasion mechanisms.

Professor Mazzone’s research has significantly contributed to the understanding of how metabolic pathways shape immune responses in the tumor microenvironment, offering new therapeutic perspectives in cancer treatment. His work has been instrumental in unravelling the crosstalk between tumor cells, immune cells, and metabolism, paving the way for innovative strategies to reprogram immune responses against cancer.

This partnership will focus on the development of four first-in-class VHH antibody assets targeting key metabolic and immunological pathways in the tumor microenvironment.

Through this agreement, Lever Bio will further progress the assets through preclinical development and validate their therapeutic potential and positioning in solid tumors, reinforcing Lever Bio’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of next-generation immuno-metabolic therapies.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Professor Mazzone and the Innovation & Business team at VIB,” said Chiara Donini, Project Manager at Lever Bio. “His groundbreaking work in immuno-metabolism and tumor immunology provides a strong scientific basis for these innovative VHH antibody programs. We look forward to translating this research into novel cancer therapies.”

“At VIB, we are committed to translating cutting-edge scientific discoveries into impactful therapeutic solutions,” said Jérôme Van Biervliet, Managing Director of VIB. “Lever Bio’s focus on immune metabolism aligns well with our mission to address the urgent need for new treatments in checkpoint inhibitor-resistant tumors. We are excited to see these VHH antibody programs progress through development and potentially bring meaningful advancements to cancer therapy.”

This agreement marks a significant milestone in Lever Bio’s mission to develop cutting-edge immuno-oncology treatments, harnessing the power of metabolic and immune system interactions to improve cancer patient outcomes.

About Lever Bio

Lever Bio is a biotechnology company focused on developing next-generation immuno-oncology therapies. By leveraging metabolic and immune system reprogramming, the company aims to overcome resistance to existing cancer treatments, particularly in solid tumors. Through strategic in-licensing agreements and collaborations with leading research institutions, Lever Bio is dedicated to advancing novel biologics to improve patient outcomes.

About VIB

VIB is a leading life sciences research institute based in Belgium, operating in close partnership with the Flemish universities and renowned for its work in medical sciences, plant biology, microbiology, artificial intelligence and biotechnology. VIB's mission is to push the boundaries of scientific discovery, transform it into disruptive biotech innovations and support the growth of the life sciences ecosystem in Flanders (Belgium).

The VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology (CCB) explores cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis, focusing on interactions between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment. Its research highlights the micro-environment’s role in tumor heterogeneity, immune evasion, and therapy response. By identifying biomarkers for early detection and treatment monitoring, researchers at CCB contribute to more effective therapies. Committed to translational research, technology transfer, and starting up spin-offs, the center bridges scientific innovation with real-world applications, driving advancements in cancer treatment. Their work supports the development of combined therapeutic strategies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and antiangiogenic treatments, targeting both tumor cells and their micro-environment.

About Claris Ventures

Claris Ventures is the first Italian venture capital operator entirely focused on biotech. To date, Claris Ventures has more than 150 million euros under management through its Claris Biotech I (2020) and Claris Biotech II (2025) funds and has already invested in ten biotech startups, raising a total of more than 170 million euros with the involvement of international investors and pharmaceutical companies.