MediaPharma

What MediaPharma does

MediaPharma Srl is a preclinical-stage Italian biotechnology company developing antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for the treatment of cancer and other severe diseases with unmet medical needs. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Chieti, Italy, the company is structured as a private limited company with 1-10 employees and operates on a seed-stage capital base, with seed funding from Invent Srl.

The company's core technology platform encompasses antibody selection against novel tumor antigens, linker chemistry (stable, unstable, and linker-less formats), and proprietary cytotoxic agent development. Its preclinical pipeline consists of four candidates: MP-EV20-ADC (anti-HER3), MP-EV20-89Zr (an EV20-based 89Zr immune-PET tracer for diagnostic imaging), MP-1959-ADC (anti-Gal-3BP), and MP-E-8.3-ADC (anti-Endosialin). All assets are at preclinical stage and the company does not yet commercialize any product. R&D output is anchored by 250+ peer-reviewed publications co-authored by the leadership team and 15 patents related to oncology, monoclonal antibodies, and ADCs.

MediaPharma's business model is built around pharmaceutical out-licensing and co-development: the company generates scientific credibility through publications and academic collaboration, including ties to a network of 18 Italian universities via CINBO and Mediterranean-level oncology consortia, and intends to monetize the pipeline through upfront payments, development milestones, and royalties from larger pharma partners. The company has no commercial revenue today, no disclosed licensing transactions, and depends on its multidisciplinary leadership team, which combines academic oncology founders with a former Pfizer corporate licensing executive, to drive business development.

Name

MediaPharma

Legal name

MediaPharma Srl

Website

https://mediapharma.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MediaPharma Srl is a preclinical-stage Italian biotech developing antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting HER3, Gal-3BP, and Endosialin for cancer therapy, with four preclinical assets positioned for out-licensing to global pharmaceutical partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oncology Drug Discovery

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) & Antibody Conjugates (HLAAAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Antibody Discovery & Engineering Platforms (display tech, bispecifics, Fc engineering) (HLAAAIAB)

Keywords

• Antibody-drug conjugates
• Oncology drug discovery
• Preclinical biotechnology
• Targeted cancer therapy
• Monoclonal antibody development

Headquarters

HQ city

Chieti

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Licensing and Co-development: As a preclinical-stage biotechnology company developing ADC pipeline candidates, MediaPharma's primary anticipated revenue stream will come from licensing its technology and pipeline products to larger pharmaceutical companies, including upfront payments, milestone payments, and royalties on approved products.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

MediaPharma is a preclinical drug discovery and development company specializing in Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) for the treatment of cancer and other severe diseases with unmet medical needs. The company's pipeline comprises four preclinical candidates: MP-EV20-ADC (anti-HER3), MP-1959-ADC (anti-Gal-3BP), MP-E-8.3-ADC (anti-Endosialin), and MP-EV20-89Zr (an EV20-based diagnostic imaging tracer). Revenue is generated through licensing and co-development of these ADC pipeline assets with larger pharmaceutical partners.

Product overview

MediaPharma is a drug discovery and development company focused on Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) for cancer treatment. The company develops a pipeline of first and best-in-class ADC products including MP-EV20-ADC (anti-HER3), MP-EV20-89Zr (immune-PET tracer), MP-1959-ADC (anti-Gal-3BP), and MP-E-8.3-ADC (anti-Endosialin), all currently in preclinical stage. ADCs work by linking potent cytotoxic drugs to monoclonal antibodies, enabling precise delivery of chemotherapy directly to cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MP-EV20-ADC Anti-HER3 Antibody-Drug Conjugate in preclinical development for targeted cancer therapy, intended for licensing or co-development with pharmaceutical partners.
• MP-1959-ADC Anti-Gal-3BP Antibody-Drug Conjugate in preclinical development for cancer treatment, intended for licensing or co-development with pharmaceutical partners.
• MP-E-8.3-ADC Anti-Endosialin Antibody-Drug Conjugate in preclinical development for solid tumor treatment, intended for licensing or co-development with pharmaceutical partners.
• MP-EV20-89Zr EV20 antibody labeled with 89Zr as an immune-PET tracer for preclinical diagnostic imaging applications, intended for licensing or co-development with pharmaceutical partners.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Consortium for Cancer Research (CINBO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMediaPharma's CEO Dr. Stefano Iacobelli was founder and Director of CINBO, a network of 18 Italian Universities focusing on translational research on oncology. This represents a significant academic partnership network for research collaboration.
• Mediterranean Task Force for Cancer Control (MTCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMediaPharma's leadership (Dr. Iacobelli and Dr. Natali) were founders of MTCC, a task force focused on cancer control in the Mediterranean region. Dr. Natali serves as Secretary General.
• U3 PharmaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Stefano Iacobelli was in the founding team of U3 Pharma, indicating prior biotech company creation and partnership experience.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Heidelberg Pharma: German clinical-stage biotech developing ADCs with proprietary linker and payload technology (HDP-101, HDP-102). Direct peer given shared focus on differentiated linker chemistry and preclinical-to-clinical ADC development.
• ADC Therapeutics: Swiss/US biotech commercializing Zynlonta (loncastuximab tesirine), an anti-CD19 ADC for lymphoma. Comparable as a focused ADC pure-play developing targeted cytotoxic conjugates for oncology indications.
• Mersana Therapeutics: US clinical-stage biotech developing next-generation ADCs with proprietary Dolasynthen and Immunosynthen platforms. Direct competitor in differentiated ADC linker/payload chemistry targeting solid tumors.
• ImmunoGen (AbbVie): Pioneer in ADC technology (Kadcyla, Elahere), acquired by AbbVie for $10.1B in 2024. Direct peer as a specialized ADC developer with validated platform and commercial-stage products.
• Philogen: Italian-Swiss clinical-stage biotech developing antibody-based therapeutics (including antibody-cytokine fusions) for cancer, also based on academic research from Italian institutions. Strongly comparable as an Italian antibody-therapeutics biotech with academic origins and similar partnership-oriented business model.

Emerging players

• Pyxis Oncology: US clinical-stage biotech developing ADC and antibody-based therapeutics for difficult-to-treat solid tumors. Comparable as an emerging ADC-focused player pursuing similar preclinical-to-clinical translation strategies.
• Tubulis: German preclinical-stage biotech developing ADCs with proprietary P5 conjugation and Tub-tag linker platforms. Highly comparable given matching preclinical stage and differentiated linker technology focus.
• Bolt Biotherapeutics: US clinical-stage biotech developing immune-stimulating antibody conjugates (ISACs), a closely related modality to ADCs. Comparable as a targeted oncology conjugate developer at similar preclinical-to-early-clinical stage.
• Innovent Biologics: China-based biotech with a growing ADC pipeline including HER3-directed candidates. Comparable as an emerging ADC developer targeting solid tumors with HER3 and other validated antigens, competing for similar licensing and partnership opportunities.

Broad incumbents

• Daiichi Sankyo: Japanese pharma leader in ADC technology, partnered with AstraZeneca on Enhertu and Datroway, and previously acquired U3 Pharma where MediaPharma's CEO Iacobelli was a founder. Relevant as the leading ADC incumbent and a likely potential partner or acquirer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mediapharma-s.r.l.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 MediaPharma