CatalYm's lead product, visugromab (CTL-002), is a humanized monoclonal antibody engineered to neutralize tumor-derived GDF-15 and thereby reverse immunosuppression and resistance to checkpoint inhibitors. The company reported impressive Phase 1/2a (GDFATHER) data showing deep, durable anti-tumor activity in combination with nivolumab, including several complete responses in NSCLC, urothelial cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. CatalYm plans a broad Phase 2b development program, expanding into randomized Phase 2b studies in select checkpoint‑naïve frontline and second‑line treatment settings and preparing to launch further randomized, controlled studies in multiple indications in the first half of 2025. The company completed an oversubscribed $150 million Series D to fund that expansion. Founded in 2016 with early support from Forbion Ventures Fund III and BGV, CatalYm is positioning visugromab as a new class of cancer immunotherapy to address resistance across high‑need solid tumor indications. CatalYm’s lead program is visugromab, a humanized monoclonal antibody engineered to neutralize tumor-produced Growth Differentiation Factor‑15 (GDF‑15) and thereby enhance immune cell infiltration and antitumor activity. The company is expanding Phase 2 development after encouraging efficacy and durability signals in Phase 1 and continued positive responses in the ongoing GDFATHER-2 trial. GDFATHER-2 evaluates visugromab in combination with an anti‑PD‑1 antibody in patients with advanced solid tumors who are relapsed/refractory to prior anti‑PD‑1/PD‑L1 therapy, with sites enrolling in Europe and the United States. CatalYm plans to use new funding to accelerate and expand the Phase 2 program and move visugromab toward pivotal studies. The company reported first Phase 2 data readouts expected in early 2023. Financially, CatalYm closed an oversubscribed EUR 50 million Series C to support these clinical plans. CatalYm develops monoclonal antibodies designed to overcome tumor immune suppression by neutralizing GDF-15, a protein that helps tumors evade the immune system. Its lead candidate, CTL-002, targets GDF-15 to enhance immune-cell infiltration, improve dendritic-cell priming of T cells, and boost T-cell and NK-cell tumor killing. CTL-002 is planned for development both as a monotherapy and in combination with approved PD-1/PD-L1 antagonists in checkpoint-blocker refractory patients. The company was founded in 2016 as a spin‑off from Julius‑Maximilians‑University of Würzburg and is led by CEO Dr. Manfred Rüdiger and CSO Christine Schuberth‑Wagner. CatalYm has backing from international venture investors and received support from the EIF via the EIB‑EIF Co‑investment Facility backed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments. The company recently closed a €50m Series B financing to advance its clinical development.

Total raised

$260M

Funding rounds

3

Latest round

Series D

Latest activity

Jul 2024