# Anaveon
Anaveon is a Basel-based Swiss biotechnology company founded in December 2017 by immunologist [Onur Boyman](https://www.edgepedia.org/onur-boyman) and Novartis veteran Andreas Katopodis, which began as an immuno-oncology developer of engineered interleukin-2 (IL-2) drugs and, following a strategic pivot, now describes itself as a late-stage preclinical biotech focused on autoimmune and inflammatory disease.[1](https://www.synconaltd.com/news-insights/news/syncona-leads-chf-35-million-series-a-financing-in-anaveon-a-new-immuno-oncology-company/) • [2](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/11/3291580/0/en/Anaveon-Announces-Presentation-of-Positive-ANV600-Clinical-Data-at-ASCO-2026-and-Actively-Seeks-Partners-for-its-Legacy-Oncology-Portfolio.html) It has raised at least CHF 145 million in disclosed financing and remains an independent, operating company as of 2026.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | December 2017, University of Zurich spinout based on UZH and Novartis IP[1](https://www.synconaltd.com/news-insights/news/syncona-leads-chf-35-million-series-a-financing-in-anaveon-a-new-immuno-oncology-company/) • [3](https://baselaunch.ch/portfolio/success-story-anaveon/) |
| Founders | Onur Boyman (Professor and Chair of Immunology, University of Zurich) and Andreas Katopodis (ex-Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research)[1](https://www.synconaltd.com/news-insights/news/syncona-leads-chf-35-million-series-a-financing-in-anaveon-a-new-immuno-oncology-company/) |
| Headquarters | Basel, Switzerland[4](https://anaveon.com/) |
| Disclosed funding | CHF 35M Series A (Feb 2019) plus CHF 110M Series B (Dec 2021)[1](https://www.synconaltd.com/news-insights/news/syncona-leads-chf-35-million-series-a-financing-in-anaveon-a-new-immuno-oncology-company/) • [5](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/12/16/2353223/0/en/Anaveon-to-raise-CHF-110-million-in-oversubscribed-Series-B-financing.html) |
| Main investors | Syncona, Novartis Venture Fund, Forbion, Cowen Healthcare Investments, Pfizer Ventures, Pontifax[1](https://www.synconaltd.com/news-insights/news/syncona-leads-chf-35-million-series-a-financing-in-anaveon-a-new-immuno-oncology-company/) • [5](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/12/16/2353223/0/en/Anaveon-to-raise-CHF-110-million-in-oversubscribed-Series-B-financing.html) |
| Focus | Autoimmune and inflammatory disease (ANV200); legacy oncology portfolio (ANV419, ANV600, ANV700) up for partnering[2](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/11/3291580/0/en/Anaveon-Announces-Presentation-of-Positive-ANV600-Clinical-Data-at-ASCO-2026-and-Actively-Seeks-Partners-for-its-Legacy-Oncology-Portfolio.html) |
| Status | Operating as of May 2026; CEO Thaminda Ramanayake[2](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/11/3291580/0/en/Anaveon-Announces-Presentation-of-Positive-ANV600-Clinical-Data-at-ASCO-2026-and-Actively-Seeks-Partners-for-its-Legacy-Oncology-Portfolio.html) |
## Founding and early backing
Anaveon was founded in December 2017 as a spinout of the [University of Zurich](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-zurich). Onur Boyman is Professor and Chair in the Department of Immunology at UZH and a recognized expert in IL-2 biology; co-founder Andreas Katopodis was previously Director at the [Autoimmunity](https://www.edgepedia.org/autoimmunity), Transplantation & Inflammation Group at the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research and became the company's founding CEO.[1](https://www.synconaltd.com/news-insights/news/syncona-leads-chf-35-million-series-a-financing-in-anaveon-a-new-immuno-oncology-company/) The BaseLaunch accelerator, operated by BaselArea.swiss, provided initial funding, followed in 2018 by seed financing from the UZH Life Sciences Fund, which converted in the Series A.[1](https://www.synconaltd.com/news-insights/news/syncona-leads-chf-35-million-series-a-financing-in-anaveon-a-new-immuno-oncology-company/) • [3](https://baselaunch.ch/portfolio/success-story-anaveon/)
In February 2019 the company closed a CHF 35 million (£26.8 million) Series A alongside the Novartis Venture Fund, with Syncona, a London-listed healthcare investment company, committing CHF 28 million (£21.4 million) for a 47.0 percent stake.[1](https://www.synconaltd.com/news-insights/news/syncona-leads-chf-35-million-series-a-financing-in-anaveon-a-new-immuno-oncology-company/) Press reports converted the round at roughly $35 million ($35.1 million by Global Venturing's count); BaseLaunch's portfolio page gives $36.5 million, so the dollar figure varies by source while the CHF amount is consistent.[6](https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/syncona-novartis-back-il-2-immuno-oncology-startup-anaveon) • [7](https://globalventuring.com/blog/2019/02/27/anaveon-validates-novartis-for-series-a/) • [3](https://baselaunch.ch/portfolio/success-story-anaveon/) Syncona's Martin Murphy and Dominic Schmidt and the Novartis Venture Fund's Florian Muellershausen joined the board at that point, with Katopodis as CEO.[1](https://www.synconaltd.com/news-insights/news/syncona-leads-chf-35-million-series-a-financing-in-anaveon-a-new-immuno-oncology-company/)
## The science: selective IL-2 agonists
Native human IL-2 is a potent immune stimulant but suffers from dose-limiting toxicity and a short half-life. Anaveon's founding science, according to its Series A announcement, built on Boyman's work, which the investor described as the first demonstration of re-direction of IL-2 activity in vivo, into biologic approaches for the highly selective expansion of anti-tumor immune cells.[1](https://www.synconaltd.com/news-insights/news/syncona-leads-chf-35-million-series-a-financing-in-anaveon-a-new-immuno-oncology-company/)
**ANV419** was the company's lead program, a selective antibody-IL-2 fusion protein designed to preferentially signal through the IL-2 beta/gamma receptor and thereby overcome the known challenges of human IL-2.[5](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/12/16/2353223/0/en/Anaveon-to-raise-CHF-110-million-in-oversubscribed-Series-B-financing.html) In an open-label multi-center Phase 1 trial (NCT04855929) in patients with solid tumors, presented as a poster at ESMO 2023, 243 µg/kg every two weeks was declared the recommended Phase 2 dose. The drug produced dose-dependent preferential expansion of CD8+ T cells and NK cells, with dose-dependent anti-tumor activity at doses of 108 µg/kg and above. Treatment was generally well tolerated: three of 40 patients (7.5 percent) had Grade 4 treatment-related lymphopenia, there were no Grade 5 events, and no adverse event led to discontinuation.[8](https://anaveon.com/wp-content/uploads/2023-10-23-ESMO-2023-poster-ANV419-001-vFinal-07Sep23-no-QR-1.pdf)
**ANV600 (sunekafusp alpha)** is described by the company as a first-in-class, non-blocking PD-1-targeted IL-2R-βγ agonist designed to selectively expand tumor-reactive PD-1+ CD8+ effector T cells while reducing the toxicities historically associated with IL-2 therapy. In the EXPAND-1 Phase 1 study, the company reported a manageable safety profile as monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab, preferential proliferation of PD-1+ CD8+ T cells over regulatory T cells, tumor shrinkage in a meaningful proportion of patients, and an established recommended Phase 2 dose. Updated data were presented at the ASCO annual meeting in 2026.[2](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/11/3291580/0/en/Anaveon-Announces-Presentation-of-Positive-ANV600-Clinical-Data-at-ASCO-2026-and-Actively-Seeks-Partners-for-its-Legacy-Oncology-Portfolio.html)
## Funding history
- **Series A, February 2019:** CHF 35 million (£26.8 million), led by Syncona (CHF 28 million for 47.0 percent) with the Novartis Venture Fund.[1](https://www.synconaltd.com/news-insights/news/syncona-leads-chf-35-million-series-a-financing-in-anaveon-a-new-immuno-oncology-company/)
- **Series B, December 2021:** CHF 110 million, described by the company as oversubscribed, led by incoming investor Forbion, corner-stoned by founding investor Syncona, and joined by Novartis Venture Fund, Cowen Healthcare Investments, Pfizer Ventures, and Pontifax. Proceeds were earmarked for the Phase I/II study of ANV419 and multiple parallel Phase II programs.[5](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/12/16/2353223/0/en/Anaveon-to-raise-CHF-110-million-in-oversubscribed-Series-B-financing.html)
No financing round after the December 2021 Series B is evidenced in the available record, so total disclosed funding stands at CHF 145 million. The Series B investors Jasper Bos (Forbion), Tim Anderson (Cowen), and Denis Patrick (Pfizer Ventures) joined the board at closing, with Syncona CEO Martin Murphy as chairman.[5](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/12/16/2353223/0/en/Anaveon-to-raise-CHF-110-million-in-oversubscribed-Series-B-financing.html)
## Pivot to immunology and the search for partners
By 2026 Anaveon had repositioned itself from immuno-oncology to autoimmune and inflammatory disease, describing itself as a late-stage preclinical biotechnology company focused on reprogramming the immune system. Its new lead asset, **ANV200**, is a precision-engineered antibody designed for deep depletion of PD-1-expressing immune cells that drive pathogenic immune responses and persistent inflammation in autoimmune diseases; it is in preclinical development with clinical testing planned, according to the company.[2](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/11/3291580/0/en/Anaveon-Announces-Presentation-of-Positive-ANV600-Clinical-Data-at-ASCO-2026-and-Actively-Seeks-Partners-for-its-Legacy-Oncology-Portfolio.html) • [4](https://anaveon.com/)
Following the pivot, the company said in May 2026 that it is actively seeking global development and commercialization partners, through license, co-development, or acquisition, for its legacy oncology portfolio, which includes ANV600 and preclinical ANV700, a proximity-activated PD-1-targeted IL-21 fusion protein. No completed partnership deal is evidenced in the record. The company's characterization of ANV600 as having delivered compelling clinical proof-of-mechanism and a promising safety-efficacy profile in advanced solid tumors is a company statement from CEO Thaminda Ramanayake.[2](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/11/3291580/0/en/Anaveon-Announces-Presentation-of-Positive-ANV600-Clinical-Data-at-ASCO-2026-and-Actively-Seeks-Partners-for-its-Legacy-Oncology-Portfolio.html)
## Leadership
Thaminda Ramanayake is Chief Executive Officer as of May 2026, replacing founding CEO Andreas Katopodis.[2](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/11/3291580/0/en/Anaveon-Announces-Presentation-of-Positive-ANV600-Clinical-Data-at-ASCO-2026-and-Actively-Seeks-Partners-for-its-Legacy-Oncology-Portfolio.html) Laetitia Pouzol was appointed Chief Scientific Officer in July 2026, having joined Anaveon in 2025 as Head of Immunology after stints at Actelion, Idorsia, and Hoffmann-La Roche, according to the company website.[4](https://anaveon.com/) Jill Jene serves as Chief Business Officer, and Ramanayake previously was Chief Business Officer at CureVac through its acquisition by BioNTech.[4](https://anaveon.com/)
## Recent developments
Three shifts define the company's recent record. First, the strategic pivot from oncology to autoimmune and inflammatory immunology, with the oncology assets (ANV419, ANV600, ANV700) reclassified as a legacy portfolio offered for partnering. Second, a leadership overhaul in 2026, with a new CEO and a new CSO. Third, the company remains independent and operating as of May 2026, with no acquisition, renaming, or wind-down reported.
## References
1. [Syncona leads CHF 35 million Series A financing in Anaveon, a new Immuno-oncology company](https://www.synconaltd.com/news-insights/news/syncona-leads-chf-35-million-series-a-financing-in-anaveon-a-new-immuno-oncology-company/)
2. [Anaveon Announces Presentation of Positive ANV600 Clinical Data at ASCO 2026 and Actively Seeks Partners for its Legacy Oncology Portfolio (11 May 2026)](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/11/3291580/0/en/Anaveon-Announces-Presentation-of-Positive-ANV600-Clinical-Data-at-ASCO-2026-and-Actively-Seeks-Partners-for-its-Legacy-Oncology-Portfolio.html)
3. [Success story Anaveon (BaseLaunch)](https://baselaunch.ch/portfolio/success-story-anaveon/)
4. [Anaveon company website](https://anaveon.com/)
5. [Anaveon to raise CHF 110 million in oversubscribed Series B financing (GlobeNewswire, 16 December 2021)](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/12/16/2353223/0/en/Anaveon-to-raise-CHF-110-million-in-oversubscribed-Series-B-financing.html)
6. [Syncona, Novartis back IL-2 immuno-oncology startup Anaveon (Fierce Biotech, 2019)](https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/syncona-novartis-back-il-2-immuno-oncology-startup-anaveon)
7. [Anaveon validates Novartis for series A (Global Venturing, 27 February 2019)](https://globalventuring.com/blog/2019/02/27/anaveon-validates-novartis-for-series-a/)
8. [ESMO 2023 poster: ANV419 Phase 1 (ANV419-001, NCT04855929)](https://anaveon.com/wp-content/uploads/2023-10-23-ESMO-2023-poster-ANV419-001-vFinal-07Sep23-no-QR-1.pdf)
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*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026*
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