GlioCART receives CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to fight the most aggressive form of brain cancer
17.11.2025
GlioCART has obtained CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick to develop a new type of cell therapy – the first CAR-T cell therapy – designed to target both glioblastoma tumors and the surrounding immune-suppressive environment. The spin-off from the University of Basel is creating a new treatment concept for one of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant forms of brain cancer.
 COO Patrice Zeis, CEO Dieter Willmann, CMO Gregor Hutter, and CSO Valerio Sabatino
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Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive form of brain tumor, with a median survival of only 15 months. Despite decades of research, the standard of care—surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy—has remained largely unchanged for more than 20 years. One of the biggest therapeutic challenges is the tumor’s ability to suppress immune responses through a complex network of myeloid cells, which prevents current therapies from achieving lasting efficacy.
The biotech startup GlioCART is developing a new generation of cell therapy — the first of its kind for glioblastoma — that targets both the tumor and the protective environment around it. By engineering immune cells to detect and kill cancer cells as well as reprogram immune cells that shield them to eat them, the therapy addresses a key resistance mechanism that has limited the success of earlier treatments. This dual approach could provide patients with a more durable and effective option against one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer.
With around 80,000 new glioblastoma cases each year, the mission of the University of Basel spin-off is to bring lasting therapeutic progress to patients who currently have no curative options. The addressable market, valued at USD 3 billion today and projected to reach USD 6 billion by 2033, highlights both the urgent medical need and GlioCART’s potential to collaborate with leading biopharma companies to deliver this innovation to patients worldwide.
The CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick will support GlioCART in accelerating its strategic development and partnerships, building on a strong intellectual property foundation and a clear path towards commercialization and bringing its therapy to patients globally.
The founding team brings together expertise across business strategy, clinical research, immuno-oncology, and data science. Dieter Willmann (CEO), Gregor Hutter (CMO), Patrice Zeis (COO), and Valerio Sabatino (CSO) form a multidisciplinary group combining years of experience in translational medicine, platform development and business growth. Their complementary backgrounds equip the biotech startup to advance a new generation of targeted cancer immunotherapies.
“Venture Kick supported GlioCART in building a strong corporate and IP foundation, positioning the company for sustainable growth and future strategic partnerships,” highlights co-founder Gregor Hutter.
COO Patrice Zeis, CEO Dieter Willmann, CMO Gregor Hutter, and CSO Valerio Sabatino
The biotech startup GlioCART is developing a new generation of cell therapy — the first of its kind for glioblastoma — that targets both the tumor and the protective environment around it. By engineering immune cells to detect and kill cancer cells as well as reprogram immune cells that shield them to eat them, the therapy addresses a key resistance mechanism that has limited the success of earlier treatments. This dual approach could provide patients with a more durable and effective option against one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer.
With around 80,000 new glioblastoma cases each year, the mission of the University of Basel spin-off is to bring lasting therapeutic progress to patients who currently have no curative options. The addressable market, valued at USD 3 billion today and projected to reach USD 6 billion by 2033, highlights both the urgent medical need and GlioCART’s potential to collaborate with leading biopharma companies to deliver this innovation to patients worldwide.
The CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick will support GlioCART in accelerating its strategic development and partnerships, building on a strong intellectual property foundation and a clear path towards commercialization and bringing its therapy to patients globally.
The founding team brings together expertise across business strategy, clinical research, immuno-oncology, and data science. Dieter Willmann (CEO), Gregor Hutter (CMO), Patrice Zeis (COO), and Valerio Sabatino (CSO) form a multidisciplinary group combining years of experience in translational medicine, platform development and business growth. Their complementary backgrounds equip the biotech startup to advance a new generation of targeted cancer immunotherapies.
“Venture Kick supported GlioCART in building a strong corporate and IP foundation, positioning the company for sustainable growth and future strategic partnerships,” highlights co-founder Gregor Hutter.
COO Patrice Zeis, CEO Dieter Willmann, CMO Gregor Hutter, and CSO Valerio Sabatino