What Buzzard Pharmaceuticals AB does

Buzzard Pharmaceuticals AB is a clinical-stage Swedish biotech company founded in 2016 and headquartered in Stockholm/Solna, Sweden, developing a single asset — isunakinra (EBI-005) — a next-generation IL-1 receptor (IL1R1) inhibitor designed as a chimeric protein that blocks both IL-1α and IL-1β with up to 20x the potency of endogenous IL-1Ra, no agonistic activity, and thermal stability. The drug is being developed in oncology indications where chronic inflammation drives tumor immune evasion, with active clinical work in microsatellite-stable, KRAS-mutated colorectal cancer and a planned study in neoadjuvant triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), both as monotherapy and in combination with PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors.

The company is prosecuting its Phase 1/2a trial under an active US IND in collaboration with Dr. Carlos Becerra at Baylor University in Dallas, TX, with trial NCT06634875 publicly disclosed. The Phase 1 dose escalation read-out was described as promising, and the company cites preclinical synergy between isunakinra and PD-1 inhibitors and best-in-class preclinical efficacy in KRAS-mutated tumors as the mechanistic rationale. The team is led by CEO & Co-founder Maarten de Château (former CEO of Cormorant Pharmaceuticals, acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb), with CMO Chris Nowak and CSO Hans Olivecrona (CMO of Buzzard since 2017), supported by a board chaired by Urban Paulsson and including Carl-Johan Spak and Mattias Häggblom (Sector Head of Healthcare Equity Research at Handelsbanken).

Buzzard's business model is pre-revenue and partner-oriented: there is no commercial product, no pricing, and no disclosed licensing income in the input; the company employs 1–10 people, expects revenue only upon regulatory approval, and frames future commercialization as targeting pharmaceutical/biotech partners or a direct commercial launch post-approval. As a one-asset, single-indication-axis clinical biotech with no disclosed funding rounds, its commercial trajectory is dependent on continued clinical read-outs, an indication expansion into TNBC, and ultimately a BD transaction or commercial launch.

Name

Buzzard Pharmaceuticals AB

Legal name

Buzzard Pharmaceuticals AB

Website

https://buzzardpharma.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Buzzard Pharmaceuticals AB is a clinical-stage Swedish biotech developing isunakinra (EBI-005), a dual IL-1α/IL-1β receptor antagonist in Phase 1/2a trials for KRAS-mutated colorectal cancer and planned triple-negative breast cancer.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oncology Biopharmaceuticals

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Care Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Clinical Development (Phase I–III Trial Design & Execution) (HLAIALAE), Immunology & Inflammation Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAD)

Keywords

• IL-1 inhibitor therapy
• Cancer immunotherapy
• Clinical stage biotech
• Checkpoint inhibitor combination
• Solid tumor treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Solna

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Development: Pre-revenue clinical-stage biotech company developing isunakinra for cancer indications. Revenue will be generated upon regulatory approval and commercialization of the drug candidate.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Buzzard Pharmaceuticals AB is a clinical-stage biotech company developing Isunakinra (EBI-005), a proprietary next-generation IL-1 inhibitor designed to block both IL-1α and IL-1β with high potency (up to 20x IL-1Ra). The drug candidate is being evaluated in a Phase 1/2a clinical trial in solid tumors, including KRAS-mutated microsatellite stable colorectal cancer and a planned study in neoadjuvant triple-negative breast cancer, both as monotherapy and in combination with PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors.

Product overview

Buzzard Pharmaceuticals AB is a clinical-stage biotech company developing a single drug candidate, Isunakinra (EBI-005), as a next-generation IL-1 inhibitor for oncology. The drug is a potent IL-1R1 inhibitor that blocks both IL-1α and IL-1β and is being tested in a Phase 1/2a clinical trial as monotherapy and in combination with PD-1 inhibitors for solid tumors including KRAS-mutated colorectal cancer and triple-negative breast cancer.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Isunakinra (EBI-005) Isunakinra is a proprietary next-generation IL-1 inhibitor designed to block both IL-1α and IL-1β with high potency (up to 20x IL-1Ra), being developed as monotherapy and in combination with PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors for solid tumors including KRAS-mutated microsatellite stable colorectal cancer and triple-negative breast cancer.

Quantifiable outcome

• High potency: up to 20x IL-1Ra
• +2 more outcomes

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 and minor.

• Baylor University (Dr. Carlos Becerra)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical trial collaboration with Dr. Carlos Becerra at Baylor University, Dallas, TX. Study conducted under an IND for the Phase I/IIa trial of isunakinra in solid tumor patients.
• Cormorant Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb)minorOthersCormorant Pharmaceuticals was built and led by CEO Maarten de Château and was successfully acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb, demonstrating the ability to create significant value and deliver clinically attractive assets. This represents the CEO's prior entrepreneurial exit, not an active partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Innate Pharma SA: French clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing antibodies that modulate the tumor microenvironment, including combinations with checkpoint inhibitors. Adjacent comparable for IL-1/TME-reprogramming combination strategies in solid tumors.
• Novartis AG: Developer of canakinumab (Ilaris), a marketed anti-IL-1β antibody, and sponsor of the CANTOS and CANOPY oncology programs. Broad incumbent that has shaped the IL-1 oncology clinical landscape against which Buzzard's isunakinra must differentiate.
• Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (Sobi): Specialty/rare-disease pharma with established rights to several IL-1-related products and a long-tenured relationship with Buzzard's leadership (CEO and CMO prior roles). Relevant comparable as both a potential commercial partner and as an investor/strategic.
• Regeneron Pharmaceuticals: Developer of anakinra (Kineret), the recombinant IL-1Ra upon which isunakinra is mechanistically built. Large incumbent in IL-1 biology with deep immuno-oncology pipeline, relevant as both a potential competitor and a strategic acquirer.

Direct peers

• Cantargia AB: Swedish clinical-stage biotech developing nadunolimab (anti-IL1RAP) for pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors. Most direct European comparable: also targets the IL-1 axis in oncology, with monotherapy and combination-IO strategies.
• XBiotech Inc. Clinical-stage biotech developing bermekimab (anti-IL-1α monoclonal antibody) for oncology and inflammatory indications. Direct competitor in the IL-1 oncology space with a related but distinct molecular approach (single-target antibody vs. chimeric decoy).

Emerging players

• Compugen Ltd. Clinical-stage immuno-oncology biotech developing computationally-discovered combination immunotherapy candidates. Comparable as a smaller biotech building clinical evidence for novel immuno-oncology combinations.
• Werewolf Therapeutics: Clinical-stage immuno-oncology biotech developing tumor microenvironment-modulating biologics. Comparable as a US-listed small-cap biotech pursuing conditional activation of immune pathways in solid tumors.
• Apexigen Inc. Clinical-stage immuno-oncology biotech developing antibody combinations with checkpoint inhibitors (e.g., sotigalimab + nivolumab). Comparable as a smaller biotech pursuing IO-combination strategies in solid tumors.
• BioAtla Inc. Clinical-stage oncology biotech developing Conditionally Active Biologics, including TME-modulating antibodies. Comparable as a smaller US-listed biotech developing novel biologic approaches to solid tumors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buzzard-pharmaceuticals

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Buzzard Pharmaceuticals AB