Lithea
Lithea AB is a Swedish preclinical pharmatech company developing a bone mineral-based intratumoral drug delivery platform (LIT-platform) that delivers chemotherapy directly into solid tumours, with lead candidate LIT1001 targeting osteosarcoma and pipeline extensions into breast, lung, and bladder cancers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersLund, Sweden
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Lithea does
Lithea AB is a Swedish pharmatech company headquartered in Lund, developing a bone mineral-based intratumoral drug delivery platform called the LIT-platform. The platform uses biocompatible calcium sulfate and nano-hydroxyapatite to form solid pellet implants that release chemotherapy directly into tumour tissue, addressing the long-standing problem that only a small fraction (as little as 5%) of systemically delivered chemotherapy reaches the tumour site. The company's lead product candidate, LIT1001, is a doxorubicin-loaded pellet for osteosarcoma, a rare paediatric bone cancer with no significant treatment advances in four decades. LIT1001 is in late preclinical stage with first-in-human studies planned, and received FDA Orphan Drug Designation in July 2025.
The broader pipeline applies the same modular platform to additional oncology indications: LIT2001 and LIT2002 for breast cancer, LIT3001 for lung cancer bone metastases, and LIT4001 for bladder cancer bone metastases. The platform is protected by patents granted in Europe, Japan, and Singapore (valid until 2041), with late-stage applications in the USA and China. Management includes experienced pharma and medtech operators, including a board member who was a Corporate Officer at Takeda Pharmaceuticals and former CEO of Acino Pharmaceuticals.
Lithea is pre-revenue and preclinical, funded to date through a SEK 9.3 million (approximately €851,000) directed share issue from existing investors in October 2025, a SEK 300,000 Vinnova planning grant, and EU INNOWWIDE Call 4 funding announced in April 2026 alongside a partnership with Aixial US Inc. to prepare U.S. clinical entry. The planned go-to-market is enterprise/hospital-centric: field sales targeting leading U.S. sarcoma centres and key clinical experts, with eventual distribution through hospital pharmacies and specialised oncology treatment centres upon regulatory approval.
Lithea firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lithea
- Legal name
- Lithea AB
- Website
- https://lithea-pharma.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Lithea AB is a Swedish preclinical pharmatech company developing a bone mineral-based intratumoral drug delivery platform (LIT-platform) that delivers chemotherapy directly into solid tumours, with lead candidate LIT1001 targeting osteosarcoma and pipeline extensions into breast, lung, and bladder cancers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lithea industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Oncology Drug Delivery
- NAICS
- Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bone Graft Substitutes & Orthobiologics (Synthetic/Allograft/DBM) (HLAHAEAG)
Keywords
Where Lithea is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lund
- HQ country
- Sweden
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Lithea business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Pre-revenue / R&D Stage: Lithea is a preclinical biotech company focused on developing its LIT-platform for intratumoral drug delivery. The company has not yet generated commercial revenue and is funded through a combination of equity investments, directed share issues, and public grant funding.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Lithea product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lithea AB develops the LIT-platform, a bone mineral-based intratumoral drug delivery system using biocompatible calcium sulfate and nano-hydroxyapatite to form solid pellet implants that release chemotherapy directly into tumor tissue. The lead product candidate LIT1001 targets osteosarcoma (a rare pediatric bone cancer) and is in late preclinical stage with first-in-human studies planned. Pipeline candidates extend the platform to breast cancer (LIT2001/LIT2002), lung cancer bone metastases (LIT3001), and bladder cancer (LIT4001).
Product overview
Lithea AB is a Swedish pharmatech company developing a bone mineral-based drug delivery platform (LIT-Platform) for local delivery of cancer drugs. The platform enables controlled and sustained release of medication directly at the tumour site. The core product is LIT1001 for osteosarcoma (in late preclinical stage), with pipeline candidates LIT2001/LIT2002 for breast cancer, LIT3001 for lung cancer bone metastases, and LIT4001 for bladder cancer bone metastases. The platform uses biocompatible bone minerals (calcium sulfate and nano-hydroxyapatite) to form implantable pellets that deliver chemotherapy directly into tumors, improving treatment outcomes and reducing systemic side effects.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- LIT1001 Lead product candidate for osteosarcoma treatment using doxorubicin-loaded nano-hydroxyapatite implant that releases chemotherapy directly into the bone tumor with controlled, sustained local delivery. Currently in late preclinical stage with first-in-human studies planned. Aimed at pediatric and young adult sarcoma patients with high unmet need.
- LIT2001 Pipeline product candidate for breast cancer treatment, applying the LIT-platform to locally deliver chemotherapy during or after surgery to target residual cancer cells and lower the risk of local relapse.
- LIT2002 Pipeline product candidate for breast cancer using the same bone mineral-based intratumoral delivery platform as LIT2001, supporting modular indication expansion within breast cancer.
- LIT3001 Pipeline product candidate for lung cancer with bone metastases. The implants deliver drugs directly to bone metastases to increase local efficacy and reduce systemic toxicity.
- LIT4001 Pipeline product candidate for bladder cancer with bone involvement. Provides sustained local therapy to control disease progression and ease treatment burden at metastatic bone sites.
- LIT-Platform Patented intratumoral drug delivery platform built from biocompatible bone minerals (calcium sulfate and nano-hydroxyapatite). Forms solid pellet implants that deliver chemotherapy directly into tumor tissue, enabling controlled and sustained release at the tumor site while reducing harm to healthy tissue. Forms the technological foundation underlying LIT1001 and all pipeline candidates.
Quantifiable outcome
- 92% reduction in tumour size observed in animal studies with LIT1001
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Lithea
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Lithea technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Lithea partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Aixial US Inc.coreLithea selected for EU INNOWWIDE funding will work together with its U.S. partner Aixial US Inc. on a six-month structured market and clinical feasibility project focused on preparing U.S. clinical entry for LIT1001. The project includes identification and engagement of leading U.S. sarcoma centres, assessment of FDA regulatory requirements, and development of a plan for initiating a first clinical study in the United States.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Lithea competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- BoneSupport: Swedish medical device company developing CERAMENT, an injectable bone substitute based on calcium sulfate and hydroxyapatite. Strong material-technology overlap with Lithea's LIT-platform and Swedish life-science ecosystem connection via Chairman Semmy Rülf.
- Delcath Systems: Developer of hepatic delivery systems (CHEMOSAT) for localized cancer treatment in liver-dominant disease. Comparable as an emerging company using localized/intratumoral delivery to treat solid tumors with high chemotherapy concentrations at the target site.
Direct peers
- Sirtex Medical: Developer of SIR-Spheres Y-90 resin microspheres for selective internal radiation therapy of liver tumors. Directly comparable in the localized intratumoral oncology delivery space, with commercial-stage products and similar target indications.
- Nanobiotix: French clinical-stage biotech developing NBTXR3 (Hensify), a first-in-class intratumoral radioenhancer nanoparticle for solid tumors. Direct competitor using intratumoral delivery to improve local cancer treatment efficacy, comparable mechanism of action and target indications.
- OncoSec Medical: Clinical-stage biotech developing intratumoral gene therapy delivery (TAVO/ImmunoPulse) for melanoma and other solid tumors. Directly comparable as an intratumoral drug delivery platform focused on oncology indications.
Broad incumbents
- Halozyme Therapeutics: Developer of the ENHANZE drug delivery platform (recombinant human hyaluronidase) for subcutaneous delivery of biologics. Broader drug delivery technology peer with established pharma partnerships and commercial products.
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Global oncology pharmaceutical company with significant rare disease and oncology portfolio. Connected to Lithea through board member Jostein Davidsen (former Corporate Officer and Head of Global Emerging Markets at Takeda).
- Novartis: Global oncology pharmaceutical leader with established osteosarcoma treatment offerings and extensive clinical development capabilities. Represents the type of large-pharma partner Lithea would need to fully commercialize LIT1001 globally.
- Ipsen: Global specialty oncology pharmaceutical company with focus on rare cancers and targeted therapies. Comparable as a specialty oncology player with established infrastructure in oncology commercialization, particularly in Europe.
- BTG / Boston Scientific Interventional Oncology: Boston Scientific acquired BTG's interventional oncology portfolio including TheraSphere (radioembolization) and SIR-Spheres. A leading player in localized cancer treatment delivery to solid tumors, with broader portfolio and established commercial infrastructure.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Lithea social profiles
Digital presenceLithea compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Lithea financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lithea leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Lithea funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lithea 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 Lithea
What does Lithea do?
Lithea AB develops the LIT-platform, a bone mineral-based intratumoral drug delivery system using biocompatible calcium sulfate and nano-hydroxyapatite to form solid pellet implants that release chemotherapy directly into tumor tissue. The lead product candidate LIT1001 targets osteosarcoma (a rare pediatric bone cancer) and is in late preclinical stage with first-in-human studies planned. Pipeline candidates extend the platform to breast cancer (LIT2001/LIT2002), lung cancer bone metastases (LIT3001), and bladder cancer (LIT4001).
Is Lithea a public or private company?
Lithea is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Lithea founded?
Lithea was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Lithea based?
Lithea is headquartered in Lund, Sweden, in the Europe region.
How does Lithea make money?
One revenue line is on record: pre-revenue / R&D Stage.
Who are Lithea's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are BoneSupport and Delcath Systems. Direct peers are Sirtex Medical, Nanobiotix and OncoSec Medical. Broad incumbents are Halozyme Therapeutics, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Ipsen and BTG / Boston Scientific Interventional Oncology.
Does Lithea have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lithea.
What industry is Lithea in?
Lithea's product category is Oncology Drug Delivery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAHAEAG, Bone Graft Substitutes & Orthobiologics (Synthetic/Allograft/DBM). Its NAICS code is 3254 and its SIC code is 2834.