What Dren Bio does

Dren Bio is a US-based, clinical-stage biotechnology company headquartered in Foster City, California, founded in 2019. The company develops proprietary myeloid cell engager therapeutics — bispecific antibodies that direct myeloid immune cells to eliminate disease-causing targets — applied to both oncology and autoimmune disease indications. Its core technology is a proprietary myeloid cell engager platform that has produced multiple programs, including the DR-0201 B-cell depletion therapy (acquired by Sanofi) and a portfolio of cancer bispecific antibodies partnered with Novartis.

The company's business model is licensing and strategic collaboration-driven. Dren Bio generates revenue through upfront payments, development and commercial milestones, and (in select deals) retained US co-promotion rights with profit-sharing options, while partners handle late-stage development and commercialization. In 2024, Dren Bio secured a Novartis collaboration valued at up to $2.85 billion ($150M upfront including $25M equity). In 2025, it expanded its Sanofi collaboration for next-generation B-cell depletion therapy in autoimmune diseases, valued at up to $1.7 billion ($100M upfront). Combined potential milestone value across the two deals is approximately $4.55 billion. The company has raised approximately $130M+ in venture capital across its 2020 Series A, 2022 Series B, and a 2019 seed round, and received the 2025 Prix Galien USA Award for Best Biotech Startup.

Dren Bio serves large pharmaceutical companies as its primary customer segment, with horizontal segmentation across immunology-focused partners (Sanofi for autoimmune) and oncology-focused partners (Novartis for cancer). The company operates with 11–50 employees and is led by founder-CEO Nenad Tomasevic and COO Amit Mehta. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales via biotech partnering events, scientific conferences, and direct pharma BD — characteristic of clinical-stage platform licensors rather than product commercializers.

Name

Dren Bio

Legal name

Dren Bio

Website

https://www.drenbio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dren Bio is a US-based clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a proprietary myeloid cell engager bispecific antibody platform for oncology and autoimmune diseases, licensing its technology to large pharmaceutical partners including Sanofi and Novartis through billion-dollar collaboration agreements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biopharmaceuticals / Therapeutic Antibodies

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Engineered Protein Therapeutics (de novo/AI-designed proteins, novel scaffolds) (HLAAAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Recombinant Protein Therapeutics (enzymes, hormones, growth factors) (HLAAAAAB), Immunology & Autoimmune Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAB)

Keywords

• Bispecific antibody therapeutics
• Cancer immunotherapy platforms
• B-cell depletion therapy
• Myeloid cell engagers
• Autoimmune disease therapeutics

Headquarters

HQ city

Foster City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Strategic Partnerships and Licensing: Dren Bio generates revenue through strategic licensing and collaboration agreements with major pharmaceutical companies. These deals typically include upfront payments, development and commercial milestones, and sometimes co-promotion rights with profit-sharing options in the US market.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Dren Bio is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that develops engineered myeloid cell engager antibodies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. Its proprietary protein-engineering platform creates bispecific antibodies that redirect myeloid cells to selectively deplete disease-associated cells, with its lead clinical-stage program (DR-0201) focused on B-cell depletion across oncology and autoimmune indications.

Product overview

Dren Bio is a US-based clinical-stage biotechnology company specializing in myeloid cell engager therapeutics. The company's proprietary platform enables the discovery and development of bispecific antibodies and targeted therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases. The company has developed multiple programs including DR-0201 (a B-cell depletion therapy) which was acquired by Sanofi, and maintains active collaborations with major pharmaceutical partners including Novartis for cancer therapeutics and an expanded partnership with Sanofi for next-generation autoimmune therapies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DR-0201

Quantifiable outcome

• Two major pharmaceutical partnerships valued at up to $4.55 billion combined
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SanoficoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 December 2025Expanded strategic collaboration for next-generation B-cell depletion therapy for autoimmune diseases. Deal includes $100 million upfront payment and potential milestones up to $1.7 billion. Building on Sanofi's prior acquisition of DR-0201 program, with Dren Bio retaining co-promotion rights in the US and profit-sharing option.
• NovartiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 July 2024Strategic collaboration to develop targeted bispecific antibodies for cancer using Dren Bio's proprietary myeloid engagers platform. Dren Bio received $150 million upfront, including $25 million equity investment, with potential milestone payments up to $2.85 billion. This marks Dren Bio's second major pharmaceutical partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Zymeworks: Zymeworks develops bispecific and multifunctional antibody therapeutics using proprietary platforms (Azymetric, EFECT). Directly comparable to Dren Bio in developing bispecific antibody scaffolds for oncology and autoimmune indications with pharma partnerships.
• MacroGenics: MacroGenics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on bispecific antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates, including the DART and TRIDENT platforms. Closely comparable to Dren Bio in bispecific antibody engineering for cancer and autoimmune disease.
• Genmab: Genmab's proprietary DuoBody and HexaBody platforms enable engineered antibody therapeutics, and the company is a leader in bispecific antibody-based partnering with major pharma (Janssen, AbbVie, BioNTech). Direct competitor in engineered antibody platforms.
• Harpoon Therapeutics: Harpoon develops T-cell engagers and myeloid-engaging biologic platforms for cancer; acquired by Merck in 2024. Direct peer to Dren Bio in bispecific engager therapeutics and pharma partnership model for next-generation immuno-oncology.
• Compass Therapeutics: Compass Therapeutics develops bispecific antibodies for cancer (CTX-009, CTX-471) and maintains strategic pharma partnerships. Direct peer to Dren Bio in bispecific antibody development and partnership-driven business model.
• Maverick Therapeutics: Maverick Therapeutics focuses on T-cell engaging bispecific antibodies for cancer, originally founded as a spin-out from Harpoon. Direct peer to Dren Bio in the engager therapeutic space with similar platform-licensing and partnership approach.

Broad incumbents

• AbCellera Biologics: AbCellera operates an antibody discovery and engineering platform that partners with pharma companies, including for bispecific antibody discovery. Broad incumbent comparable to Dren Bio's platform-licensing business model in antibody engineering for pharma partners.

Emerging players

• Werewolf Therapeutics: Werewolf Therapeutics is a clinical-stage oncology company developing engineered cytokine therapies (PREDATOR platform). Emerging peer to Dren Bio in the broader engineered-protein-biologic space targeting cancer and immune-mediated disease.
• Inhibrx Biosciences: Inhibrx Biosciences develops engineered protein therapeutics including bispecifics and antibody-drug conjugates for cancer and rare diseases. Emerging peer to Dren Bio in the protein engineering space partnering with pharma.

Others

• Adimab: Adimab provides antibody discovery and engineering services and partnerships to pharma, with an extensive library platform. Adjacent/comparable peer through partnership-driven business model serving pharma with engineered antibody technology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors14 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dren Bio