Araris snags strategic investment from Samsung Ventures

Araris Biotech, a spin-off from the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and ETH Zurich founded in 2019, is developing novel linker technology for the precise and efficient production of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), which are used to treat cancer by targeting tumor cells.

Araris announced today that Samsung Venture Investment Corporation (Samsung Ventures) has invested in the startup in an independent deal ahead of its ongoing Series A funding. The investment was made via Samsung Life Science Fund, which was created jointly between Samsung Biologics and Samsung C&T and is managed by Samsung Ventures, reflecting Samsung's commitment to further explore and expand business opportunities in biopharmaceuticals.

Araris' linker platform enables the attachment of any drug payload to off-the-shelf antibodies, without the need for prior antibody engineering. The resulting ADCs have shown very high activity at low doses and an improved therapeutic index compared to multiple FDA-approved ADCs. It also has the potential to address challenges associated with ADCs, including solubility and unstable linkage issues.

As a strategic investor, Samsung will collaborate on evaluating, manufacturing, and developing assets with Araris using the startup's proprietary ADC technology in close collaboration with Samsung affiliates involved in the discovery, development, and manufacturing of novel biologics.

"Araris has the potential to develop best-in-class ADC therapies, and we see room for collaboration in the manufacturing and development of new drugs," said John Rim, CEO of Samsung Biologics.

"We're pleased to receive this support from Samsung, as well as the recognition of the potential of our linker-payload toolbox and conjugation technology in such a quickly growing ADC field," said Philipp Spycher, Ph.D., chief executive officer and co-founder of Araris Biotech. "We look forward to using these proceeds to further support our efforts in advancing our ADC candidates toward the clinic."

Araris was awarded CHF 130,000 by Venture Kick in 2019. In 2020, the startup was also chosen to participate in the Venture Leaders Life Science program (now divided into Venture Leaders Biotech and Medtech). The startup also made the TOP 100 Swiss Startup ranking every year since 2019, making it into the TOP 20 last year.

The startup secured CHF 15.2 million in seed 2020, and closed a funding round valued at USD 24 million in 2022.


Araris co-founders Dr. Philipp Spycher (CEO), Dr. Isabella Attinger-Toller (Senior VP Translational Research), and Dr. Dragan Grabulovski (Chairman of the Board) at the TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award in 2019