Ability Pharmaceuticals
Ability Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, developing first-in-class oral autophagy-inducing small molecules (lead asset: ABTL0812 / IBRILATAZAR) for pancreatic, lung, endometrial, biliary, and pediatric cancers, with a China license to SciClone and a 2028 out-licensing target.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersBarcelona, Spain
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Ability Pharmaceuticals does
Ability Pharmaceuticals (AbilityPharma / ABILITY PHARMACEUTICALS, SA) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Catalonia, Spain, founded in 2012. It is developing a portfolio of first-in-class small-molecule anticancer drugs that induce cytotoxic autophagy selectively in cancer cells; its lead candidate ABTL0812 (WHO International Nonproprietary Name: IBRILATAZAR) is an oral compound that binds the nuclear receptors PPARα and PPARγ, induces Endoplasmic Reticular Stress, and blocks Akt activation in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, also converting "cold" tumors into immunogenic "hot" tumors. The asset has Orphan Drug Designations from both the US FDA and the European EMA for pancreatic cancer, biliary cancer, and pediatric neuroblastoma, and is currently in a Phase 2b double-blind placebo-controlled trial in 140 patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer across Spain, USA, France, and Israel, having previously reported positive Phase 2a results in endometrial cancer and squamous non-small cell lung cancer.
The company does not sell commercial products. Its revenue model is out-licensing: AbilityPharma develops drugs to late clinical stage and then licenses territorial or global rights to larger pharmaceutical companies for commercialization. The only executed license to date is a 2016 territorial agreement with SciClone Pharmaceuticals (Hong Kong) covering China, under which SciClone subsequently invested €2.5M for an equity stake in December 2020. The company has raised approximately €15.5M+ cumulatively across equity rounds (Inveready, CTI Life Sciences Fund, EIC Fund, CDTI Innvierte, FiTalent, family offices IVAMOSA and GESAMO, Capital Cell crowdfunding) and non-dilutive grants (Next Generation EU, Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain), with the most recent €7M round in March 2024 funding the Phase 2b program and management targeting a multinational out-licensing or commercialization event by 2028.
Customers, in the licensing sense, are enterprise pharmaceutical partners rather than end patients; the company's customer base currently consists of a single Chinese licensee and a network of leading European oncology clinical trial sites (Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology, Institut Gustave-Roussy, Centre Léon Bérard, Institut Català d'Oncologia, INCLIVA, Hospital Virgen del Rocío, Institut Paoli-Calmettes). The company employs 1–10 people and is led by co-founder, CEO and Executive Chairman Carles Domènech, with manufacturing secured through a 2024 partnership with AGC Pharma Chemicals for API production.
Ability Pharmaceuticals firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ability Pharmaceuticals
- Legal name
- ABILITY PHARMACEUTICALS, SA
- Website
- https://abilitypharma.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Ability Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, developing first-in-class oral autophagy-inducing small molecules (lead asset: ABTL0812 / IBRILATAZAR) for pancreatic, lung, endometrial, biliary, and pediatric cancers, with a China license to SciClone and a 2028 out-licensing target.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ability Pharmaceuticals industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Oncology Therapeutics
- NAICS
- Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Oncology Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- CMC & Pharmaceutical Development (Formulation/Process/Analytical Development) (HLAIALAD), Regulatory Strategy & IND/NDA/BLA Submissions Support (HLAIALAH)
Keywords
Where Ability Pharmaceuticals is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Barcelona
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Ability Pharmaceuticals business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Pharmaceutical licensing and out-licensing: Pre-revenue clinical stage company with strategy to license developed drugs to larger pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies for commercialization. In April 2016, AbilityPharma signed a territorial license agreement for ABTL0812 with SciClone Pharmaceuticals (Hong Kong) Development Co. Limited to develop and market the product in China.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Ability Pharmaceuticals product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ability Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that discovers and develops first-in-class oral small-molecule anticancer drugs designed to induce cytotoxic autophagy selectively in cancer cells by targeting PPARα and PPARγ nuclear receptors. Its lead asset, ABTL0812 (INN: IBRILATAZAR), is in Phase 2b for metastatic pancreatic cancer and has shown positive Phase 2a results in squamous NSCLC and endometrial cancer. The company monetizes its pipeline through territorial out-licensing deals with larger pharmaceutical partners rather than through direct commercialization.
Product overview
Ability Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage Phase 2b biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class anticancer drugs focused on autophagy as a new therapeutic strategy to induce cell death selectively in cancer cells. The company's core product is ABTL0812 (now named IBRILATAZAR), an oral targeted anticancer compound that induces cytotoxic autophagy. The company is also generating a portfolio of new drug candidates targeting oncological unmet needs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- IBRILATAZAR (ABTL0812): First-in-class fully differentiated oral targeted anticancer compound causing cell death by autophagy (self-digestion). WHO-approved international non-proprietary name for the company's lead drug candidate.
Products and services
- ABTL0812 / IBRILATAZAR First-in-class oral small-molecule anticancer drug candidate that binds PPARα and PPARγ nuclear receptors, induces ER-stress, and blocks Akt in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway to selectively cause autophagy-mediated cancer cell death. Currently in Phase 2b for metastatic pancreatic cancer with positive Phase 2a results in endometrial cancer and squamous NSCLC; intended for out-licensing to pharmaceutical partners for global or regional commercialization.
- Autophagy-based cancer therapeutics pipeline Portfolio of new small-molecule drug candidates built on the company's autophagy-inducing mechanism of action, targeting unmet needs across oncology indications including pancreatic, lung, endometrial, biliary, and pediatric neuroblastoma cancers. The pipeline is licensed to pharmaceutical partners for development and commercialization.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% increase in overall survival in sqNSCLC patients (11.3 months to 22.5 months) compared to historical controls
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Ability Pharmaceuticals
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Ability Pharmaceuticals technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Ability Pharmaceuticals partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.
- AGC Pharma ChemicalscorePartnership for the production of innovative treatment for pancreatic cancer. AGC Pharma Chemicals is consolidating its entry into the process development and manufacturing sector for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for third parties globally from Spain.
- Dr. Lizcano's group from Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB)coreResearch consortium formed to study anticancer immunomodulatory effects of ABTL0812 and identify new anticancer immunotherapeutic candidates based on modulation of autophagy. Dr. Lizcano's group previously elucidated ABTL0812's mechanism of action and leads the study on ABTL0812 immunomodulation. Part of €1.5M Next Generation EU funding project.
- SciClone Pharmaceuticals (Hong Kong) Development Co. LimitedmajorChinese pharmaceutical company that entered as shareholder in December 2020 with €2.5 million investment. Signed territorial license agreement in April 2016 for ABTL0812 to develop and market the product in China.
- Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO)coreLeading oncology institute in Barcelona that led the Phase 2a clinical study in lung cancer and endometrial cancer. Key clinical trial site for ABTL0812 studies in Spain.
- Institut Gustave-RoussycoreLeading cancer institute in Paris, France. Clinical trial site for Phase 2a study in lung cancer and endometrial cancer.
- Centre Léon BérardcoreLeading cancer research center in Lyon, France. Clinical trial site for Phase 2a study in lung cancer and endometrial cancer.
- Institut Català d'Oncologia (ICO)supportingCatalan Institute of Oncology with sites in Hospitalet, Badalona, and Girona. Clinical trial site for Phase 2a lung cancer study.
- Hospital Clínico de Valencia (INCLIVA)supportingClinical trial site for Phase 2a lung cancer study.
- Hospital Virgen del RocíosupportingClinical trial site for Phase 2a lung cancer study in Seville.
- Institut Paoli-CalmettessupportingClinical trial site for Phase 2a lung cancer study in Marseille, France.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ability Pharmaceuticals competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- PharmaMar: Madrid-based clinical-to-commercial oncology biopharmaceutical company developing novel marine-derived small molecule cancer therapeutics. Highly comparable as a Spain-headquartered clinical-stage oncology specialist pursuing licensing-driven commercialization of differentiated mechanisms.
- Cantargia AB: Swedish clinical-stage biotech developing antibody-based therapies for cancer and autoimmune disease, with nadunilimab advancing in pancreatic cancer. Comparable as a European clinical-stage oncology company targeting pancreatic cancer with a differentiated immuno-oncology mechanism and partnership-driven commercialization.
- Targovax ASA: Norwegian clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing oncolytic virus therapies (TG01) for pancreatic cancer. Comparable as a European clinical-stage oncology company focused on hard-to-treat solid tumors, particularly pancreatic cancer, with a licensing and partnership-oriented commercialization model.
- Alligator Bioscience AB: Swedish clinical-stage biotech developing tumor-directed antibody-based immuno-oncology therapeutics. Comparable as a Scandinavian clinical-stage oncology company of similar size and development stage, advancing differentiated immuno-oncology mechanisms toward clinical proof-of-concept.
- Onxeo SA: French clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing oncology therapeutics with a focus on difficult-to-treat cancers. Comparable as a European clinical-stage oncology specialist of similar size, focused on innovative mechanisms for solid tumor indications and pursuing strategic partnerships for development.
- Genfit SA: French clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing small molecule therapeutics, with historical focus in liver and metabolic diseases and expanding into oncology. Comparable as a European clinical-stage small molecule developer of similar scale pursuing out-licensing and partnership transactions.
- BioInvent International AB: Swedish clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing antibody-based therapeutics for cancer. Comparable as a Scandinavian clinical-stage oncology company of similar headcount and capital base, focused on novel mechanisms and partnership-driven development.
Regional players
- Oryzon Genomics SA: Spanish clinical-stage biotech developing epigenetic therapies for oncology and CNS diseases. Comparable as a Spain-based clinical-stage biotech of similar scale and stage, with a similar capital structure reliant on public grants, EU funding, and institutional VC.
Broad incumbents
- Genmab A/S: Large Danish clinical-to-commercial oncology biotechnology company developing differentiated antibody therapeutics. Comparable as a European oncology biotech founded on differentiated mechanism-of-action science and pursuing broad partnership-based commercialization, though at materially greater scale.
Others
- Halix BV: Dutch CDMO specializing in viral vector and protein production for clinical and commercial biopharmaceuticals. Comparable as a European biopharma ecosystem participant and AGC-adjacent service provider supporting the kind of late-stage manufacturing infrastructure AbilityPharma will rely on for ABTL0812 scale-up.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ability Pharmaceuticals social profiles
Digital presenceAbility Pharmaceuticals financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ability Pharmaceuticals leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Ability Pharmaceuticals funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds10 records
Investors12 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ability Pharmaceuticals M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ability Pharmaceuticals
What does Ability Pharmaceuticals do?
Ability Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that discovers and develops first-in-class oral small-molecule anticancer drugs designed to induce cytotoxic autophagy selectively in cancer cells by targeting PPARα and PPARγ nuclear receptors. Its lead asset, ABTL0812 (INN: IBRILATAZAR), is in Phase 2b for metastatic pancreatic cancer and has shown positive Phase 2a results in squamous NSCLC and endometrial cancer. The company monetizes its pipeline through territorial out-licensing deals with larger pharmaceutical partners rather than through direct commercialization.
Is Ability Pharmaceuticals a public or private company?
Ability Pharmaceuticals is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Ability Pharmaceuticals founded?
Ability Pharmaceuticals was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Ability Pharmaceuticals based?
Ability Pharmaceuticals is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, in the Europe region.
How does Ability Pharmaceuticals make money?
One revenue line is on record: pharmaceutical licensing and out-licensing.
Who are Ability Pharmaceuticals's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are PharmaMar, Cantargia AB, Targovax ASA, Alligator Bioscience AB, Onxeo SA, Genfit SA and BioInvent International AB. Oryzon Genomics SA is listed as a regional player. Genmab A/S is listed as a broad incumbent. Halix BV is listed as an others.
Does Ability Pharmaceuticals have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ability Pharmaceuticals.
What industry is Ability Pharmaceuticals in?
Ability Pharmaceuticals's product category is Oncology Therapeutics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIACAA, Oncology Specialty Pharmaceuticals, with a secondary code of HLAIALAD, CMC & Pharmaceutical Development (Formulation/Process/Analytical Development). Its NAICS code is 325412 and its SIC code is 2834.