CIS BIOPHARMA
CIS BIOPHARMA AG is a Basel-based, privately held oncology biotech (founded 2023) developing precision antibody-drug conjugates, nanobody-drug conjugates, and radioligand therapies for small cell lung cancer, brain metastases, and glioblastoma.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersBubendorf, Switzerland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What CIS BIOPHARMA does
CIS BIOPHARMA AG is a privately held, Swiss-domiciled (Bubendorf, Basel-Land) oncology biotechnology company founded in 2023 via spin-off from CIS Pharma. The company develops precision immuno-conjugates — antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), nanobody-drug conjugates (NDCs), and radioligand therapies (RLTs) — targeting tumor-associated antigens CD171/L1CAM and CD276/B7H3. Its lead candidate CBO-001 is an ADC for small cell lung cancer (SCLC); CBO-002 is a nanobody-drug conjugate for brain metastases from lung, breast, and gastrointestinal tumors; and CBO-003 is a radioligand therapy for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).
The underlying bioconjugation platform combines expertise in protein engineering, linker chemistry (including dual-drug, high-DAR, and site-specific enzymatic conjugation), and high-containment laboratory capabilities. A payload arsenal spans topoisomerase-I inhibitors, the microtubule inhibitor MMAE, and radionuclides attached via DOTA chelators. Research collaborations are in place with ETH Zurich, Paul Scherrer Institute, FHNW, and University Children's Hospital Zurich, with Roger Schibli (ETH) advising on radiopharmaceutical chemistry.
CIS BIOPHARMA is pre-revenue: pipeline candidates are in preclinical/early clinical stages with no disclosed licensing revenue, and the operating model targets future revenue from product sales, licensing deals, or acquisition. The company employs roughly 10 people and is led by third-generation family members (Christoph Schäfer as co-founder/CEO, Kathrin Schäfer-Locher as co-founder/Board member) alongside a recruited leadership bench drawing from Novartis, Roche, Amgen, Pfizer, Serono, Roche-Genentech, and major investment banks.
CIS BIOPHARMA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CIS BIOPHARMA
- Legal name
- CIS BIOPHARMA AG
- Website
- https://cisbiopharma.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CIS BIOPHARMA AG is a Basel-based, privately held oncology biotech (founded 2023) developing precision antibody-drug conjugates, nanobody-drug conjugates, and radioligand therapies for small cell lung cancer, brain metastases, and glioblastoma.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CIS BIOPHARMA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Precision Oncology Therapeutics
- NAICS
- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) & Antibody Conjugates (HLAAAAAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Oncology Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAA), Antibody Discovery & Engineering Platforms (display tech, bispecifics, Fc engineering) (HLAAAIAB)
Keywords
Where CIS BIOPHARMA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bubendorf
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
CIS BIOPHARMA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Drug Development and Licensing: As a pre-revenue biotechnology company in the development stage, CIS BIOPHARMA is focused on developing proprietary cancer therapies (ADCs, NDCs, RLTs) with the goal of achieving regulatory approval and commercializing treatments. Revenue will likely come from product sales, licensing deals, or acquisition.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Marketing channels3 records
CIS BIOPHARMA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CIS BIOPHARMA develops next-generation immuno-conjugates, including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), nanobody-drug conjugates (NDCs), and radioligand therapies (RLTs) for the treatment of aggressive tumors. The company uses a proprietary bioconjugation platform with custom linkers to design targeted oncology drug candidates, including pipeline assets CBO-001, CBO-002, and CBO-003, intended for eventual licensing or partnership with larger pharmaceutical firms.
Product overview
CIS BIOPHARMA develops a portfolio of precision cancer therapies including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), nanobody-drug conjugates (NDCs), and radioligand therapies (RLTs). The company's lead program is CBO-001, an ADC targeting CD 171 for small cell lung cancer. CBO-002 is an NDC targeting CD 276 for brain metastases, while CBO-003 is a radioligand therapy also targeting CD 276 for glioblastoma. These programs are built on the company's bioconjugation platform, which enables development of proprietary targeting moieties with various linker/drug combinations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CBO-001 Immuno-conjugate oncology drug candidate from CIS BIOPHARMA's proprietary bioconjugation platform, targeting aggressive tumors as part of the company's pipeline intended for partnering or out-licensing to larger pharmaceutical companies.
- CBO-002 Second immuno-conjugate oncology drug candidate developed by CIS BIOPHARMA using its proprietary bioconjugation platform, designed to target aggressive tumors and available for partnering or out-licensing.
- CBO-003 Third immuno-conjugate oncology drug candidate built on CIS BIOPHARMA's bioconjugation platform, targeting aggressive tumors and positioned for partnering or out-licensing to larger pharmaceutical companies.
- Bioconjugation Platform Proprietary bioconjugation technology platform leveraging custom linker chemistry and nanobody engineering to develop antibody-drug conjugates, nanobody-drug conjugates, and radioligand therapies for aggressive tumors. Supports CIS BIOPHARMA's pipeline assets and serves as the foundation for partner and licensing opportunities.
Quantifiable outcome
- CBO-001 demonstrates exceptional preclinical efficacy versus standard-of-care and other emerging targets such as B7H3 and DLL3 in SCLC
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use CIS BIOPHARMA
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
CIS BIOPHARMA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
CIS BIOPHARMA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- ETH ZurichcoreResearch partnership with ETH Zurich for development of CBO-002 program targeting brain tumors. ETH Zurich professor Roger Schibli serves as advisor, contributing expertise in radiopharmaceutical chemistry and molecular imaging for development of novel radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in oncology.
- Paul Scherrer InstitutecoreCollaboration with Paul Scherrer Institute's center for Radiopharmaceuticals as part of CBO-002 program development for targeted radioligand therapy addressing incurable brain tumors.
- University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW)coreResearch collaboration with FHNW supporting CBO-002 program development for brain tumor therapeutics.
- University Children's Hospital ZurichcoreResearch partnership with University Children's Hospital Zurich as part of CBO-002 program development for novel targeted therapies.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CIS BIOPHARMA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Heidelberg Pharma: German clinical-stage ADC company developing proprietary ADCs using amanitin-based payload technology (ATAC platform) with novel linkers. Comparable as a European ADC platform peer advancing multiple candidates against solid tumor targets.
- Araris Biotech: Preclinical-stage Swiss biotech developing next-generation ADCs using a proprietary one-step site-specific conjugation technology with novel linker-payload combinations. Highly comparable as a Swiss-based, similarly-sized ADC platform company with novel bioconjugation methodology.
- Pyxis Oncology: Clinical-stage ADC biotech developing next-generation antibody-drug conjugates for difficult-to-treat cancers, including programs targeting B7H3 (microtubule-inhibitor ADC) and other tumor-associated antigens. Highly comparable as a similarly-sized ADC platform company pursuing overlapping oncology targets.
- Tubulis: Preclinical/early-clinical German biotech developing next-generation ADCs with proprietary payload and linker platforms, focused on solid tumors. Comparable as a European ADC platform peer at similar development stage targeting cancer with novel bioconjugation approaches.
- Bolt Biotherapeutics: Clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing next-generation ADCs with immune-stimulating Boltbody technology. Comparable as a similarly-positioned ADC platform company targeting solid tumors with proprietary conjugation approaches.
- Mersana Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) using proprietary payload and linker platforms including Dolasynthen and Immunosynthen. Comparable as a focused ADC platform company targeting solid tumors with novel conjugation chemistry.
Broad incumbents
- Novartis (Radioligand Therapy): Major pharmaceutical company with significant radioligand therapy franchise (Pluvicto/Lutathera) acquired through Advanced Accelerator Applications. Comparable as the dominant incumbent in radioligand therapies and an obvious potential acquirer or partner for CIS BIOPHARMA's NRC programs.
- Telix Pharmaceuticals: Commercial-stage radiopharmaceutical company developing diagnostic and therapeutic radioligands for oncology (e.g., Illuccix for PSMA imaging). Comparable as a more advanced peer in the same radioligand therapy space, providing a commercialization benchmark for CIS BIOPHARMA's CBO-002/CBO-003 programs.
- Lantheus Holdings: Established radiopharmaceutical company with commercialized products (Definity, PYLARIFY) and growing radioligand therapy pipeline. Comparable as a more advanced radioligand-focused peer providing industry benchmarks for CBO-002/CBO-003 development and commercialization.
Emerging players
- Tagworks Pharmaceuticals: Preclinical-stage Dutch biotech developing click-chemistry-based ADCs that enable in vivo payload release. Comparable as an emerging European ADC peer with novel linker/conjugation chemistry at similar early development stage.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CIS BIOPHARMA social profiles
Digital presenceCIS BIOPHARMA compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
CIS BIOPHARMA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CIS BIOPHARMA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
CIS BIOPHARMA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CIS BIOPHARMA 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 CIS BIOPHARMA
What does CIS BIOPHARMA do?
CIS BIOPHARMA develops next-generation immuno-conjugates, including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), nanobody-drug conjugates (NDCs), and radioligand therapies (RLTs) for the treatment of aggressive tumors. The company uses a proprietary bioconjugation platform with custom linkers to design targeted oncology drug candidates, including pipeline assets CBO-001, CBO-002, and CBO-003, intended for eventual licensing or partnership with larger pharmaceutical firms.
Is CIS BIOPHARMA a public or private company?
CIS BIOPHARMA is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was CIS BIOPHARMA founded?
CIS BIOPHARMA was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CIS BIOPHARMA based?
CIS BIOPHARMA is headquartered in Bubendorf, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does CIS BIOPHARMA make money?
One revenue line is on record: drug Development and Licensing.
Who are CIS BIOPHARMA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Heidelberg Pharma, Araris Biotech, Pyxis Oncology, Tubulis, Bolt Biotherapeutics and Mersana Therapeutics. Broad incumbents are Novartis (Radioligand Therapy), Telix Pharmaceuticals and Lantheus Holdings. Tagworks Pharmaceuticals is listed as an emerging player.
Does CIS BIOPHARMA have an API?
No public API is recorded for CIS BIOPHARMA.
What industry is CIS BIOPHARMA in?
CIS BIOPHARMA's product category is Precision Oncology Therapeutics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAAAE, Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) & Antibody Conjugates, with a secondary code of HLAIACAA, Oncology Specialty Pharmaceuticals. Its NAICS code is 325414 and its SIC code is 2836.