Actithera Secures Exclusive Rights to Innovative Covalent Chemistry Technologies from Weizmann Institute for Targeted Radiopharmaceutical Applications
- Exclusive license via Yeda to two Weizmann Institute patent families from Prof. Nir London's lab, a leader in covalent drug design
- Site-specific, durable and traceless protein radiolabeling approaches intended to enhance tumor selectivity and retention in radiopharmaceuticals
- Integration into Actithera's platform to support design of next-generation radioligand therapies across oncology indications
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and OSLO, Norway, Oct. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Actithera, a biotechnology company pioneering next-generation radiopharmaceutical therapies, today announced an exclusive license agreement with Yeda, the commercial arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science, for two patent families covering breakthrough covalent chemistry technologies. Actithera will apply these innovations to advance its proprietary platform for radiopharmaceutical drug discovery and development.
The licensed technologies were developed in the laboratory of Professor Nir London, an internationally recognized leader in covalent drug design. These approaches enable a highly differentiated way to introduce radioactivity selectively and durably onto tumor-specific proteins, offering the potential to redefine how radiopharmaceuticals are conceived, optimized, and deployed in the clinic.
"This agreement represents an important step forward for Actithera," said Andreas Goutopoulos, PhD, Founder and Chief Executive Officer ofActithera. "By adding Professor London's pioneering chemistry to our toolkit of proprietary covalent and non-covalent approaches, we are uniquely positioned to unlock new opportunities in cancer treatment. This innovation from the Weizmann Institute enables us to introduce radioactivity directly into tumor cells by irreversibly and tracelessly radiolabeling tumor-specific proteins while keeping them in their native state. We believe that this combination of irreversibility and tracelessness can translate into prolonged retention of radiation within tumors and ultimately improve therapeutic outcomes."
Elik Chapnik, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Yeda, commented: "We are pleased to partner with Actithera in bringing Professor London's groundbreaking covalent chemistry technologies into the radiopharmaceutical field. Actithera's vision and expertise make them an ideal partner to translate these scientific advances into impactful cancer therapies that can benefit patients worldwide."
The technologies will be integrated into Actithera's existing discovery platform as the company advances its lead FAP-targeting radioligand candidate toward clinical development in multiple indications. This strategic expansion is supported by Actithera's recent oversubscribed $75.5 million Series A financing completed in July 2025, which is enabling the continued development of the Company's proprietary RLT discovery platform and preclinical pipeline.
Professor Nir London, Associate Professor, Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, added:"My lab has long been dedicated to expanding the possibilities of covalent drug design. Seeing our work translated into the radiopharmaceutical space through Actithera's innovative platform is particularly exciting given the field's potential to deliver targeted radiation directly to tumors while sparing healthy tissue. I look forward to supporting their progress as they advance these technologies toward clinical validation."
The covalent chemistry technologies from the Weizmann Institute represent one of several cutting-edge approaches integrated into Actithera's discovery engine, expanding the Company's toolkit for building a pipeline of precision therapies addressing areas of high unmet need in oncology.
About Actithera
Actithera is a biotechnology company advancing a differentiated platform for the discovery and development of next-generation radiopharmaceutical therapies. By combining expertise in medicinal chemistry, radiochemistry, and drug design, Actithera is developing a pipeline of novel targeted therapies to treat cancer. The company is headquartered in Cambridge, MA and Oslo, Norway.
About Yeda
Yeda is the commercial arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science, dedicated to translating groundbreaking discoveries into life-changing products. For decades, Yeda has been at the forefront of academic technology transfer, driving the commercialization of breakthrough drugs including Copaxone®, Rebif®, Erbitux®, Humira®, and Yescarta®. By partnering with leading companies worldwide, Yeda continues to bridge the gap between cutting-edge science and global impact.
About the Weizmann Institute of Science
The Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel is one of the world's top-ranking multidisciplinary research institutions. Noted for its wide-ranging exploration of the natural and exact sciences, Weizmann Institute's scientists are advancing research on the human brain, artificial intelligence, sustainability, computer science and encryption, astrophysics and particle physics, and are tackling diseases such as cancer, while also addressing climate change through environmental, ocean, and plant sciences.
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