Nuclidium Secures $99M Series B to Advance Copper-Based Radiopharma Platform
Swiss biotech Nuclidium has raised approximately $99 million in a Series B funding round to accelerate the development of its copper-based radiopharmaceutical platform. The round was led by Kurma Growth Opportunities Fund and Angelini Ventures, with participation from Wellington Partners, Neva SGR, DeepTech & Climate Fonds, Bayern Kapital, and HighLight Capital.
Nuclidium is carving a unique path in the radiopharmaceutical space by utilizing copper isotopes rather than the more commonly used actinium or lutetium. According to the company, copper-based radiopharmaceuticals offer multiple advantages: the ability to deliver higher therapeutic doses per tumor volume, improved safety due to lower overall radiation exposure, and simpler, more sustainable manufacturing processes. Unlike traditional isotopes, copper does not require a nuclear reactor for production, involves less radioactive waste, and relies on more accessible raw materials.
The new funding will support the advancement of Nuclidium’s pipeline of theranostic agents—compounds designed for both diagnostic imaging and therapy—across various oncology indications. The company currently has three programs in development, with its lead candidate, NuriPro, targeting metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.
NuriPro’s diagnostic application has completed Phase I studies, and its therapeutic use is poised to enter early clinical trials. Recent Phase I data show promising results: as a PET imaging agent, NuriPro detected additional lesions in 50% of patients that were not identified using the standard 18F-piflufolastat tracer. Moreover, Nuclidium reports that its copper-based tracer visualized more lesions up to four hours post-administration compared to existing agents.
Another key program, TraceNET, is being developed for breast cancer. Its diagnostic use is in mid-stage development, while the therapeutic application is about to enter Phase I trials. Early data from both NuriPro and TraceNET indicate strong tumor-to-background ratios, according to the company.
Nuclidium’s Series B raise follows a wave of increased investment in the radiopharmaceutical sector. Just one day earlier, Massachusetts-based Actithera secured $75.5 million in Series A funding. Industry giants are taking notice: Novartis currently leads the field with its approved radiotherapies Pluvicto and Lutathera. Competitors are quickly ramping up efforts—Bristol Myers Squibb acquired RayzeBio for $4.1 billion in late 2023, and AstraZeneca followed with its $2.4 billion acquisition of Fusion Pharmaceuticals in March 2024.
As Nuclidium expands its copper-based radiopharma platform, it positions itself as a differentiated and potentially disruptive force in this rapidly growing field.
