The fight against tumor resistance has become one of the greatest challenges in modern oncology. While major advances have transformed the treatment landscape for many cancers, the ability of tumors to adapt and develop resistance continues to limit the long-term effectiveness of available therapies and remains a significant unmet medical need for millions of patients worldwide.
Against this backdrop, Ona Therapeutics has closed an $86.6 million Series B financing led by Columbus Venture Partners and Mérieux Equity Partners, becoming the second-largest biotech financing announced in Europe in 2026. The round also attracted a distinguished syndicate of international life sciences investors, underscoring the growing interest in next-generation oncology platforms.
The financing will support the clinical advancement of a new generation of cancer therapies designed to address tumor resistance and metastatic progression—two of the most critical challenges in cancer treatment today.
Investing in One of Biotech’s Most Dynamic Segments
Oncology remains one of the largest drivers of innovation and investment across the global biotechnology industry. Within this field, Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as one of the most promising therapeutic modalities, combining the targeting precision of monoclonal antibodies with the potency of highly effective cytotoxic agents.
Over the past several years, major pharmaceutical companies have committed tens of billions of dollars to acquisitions, licensing agreements and strategic partnerships involving ADC technologies, reflecting both their clinical potential and commercial attractiveness.
The scale of Ona’s financing highlights not only the strong investor appetite for this rapidly growing sector but also the quality of the science and the opportunity the company represents. Few European biotech companies are able to attract a financing of this magnitude, positioning Ona among the continent’s most promising oncology innovators.
A Platform Designed to Discover New Targets in Cancer
Founded on pioneering research developed in Barcelona, Ona Therapeutics has built a proprietary discovery platform focused on identifying novel therapeutic targets associated with tumor resistance and metastatic disease.
This approach has enabled the company to develop a differentiated pipeline of oncology programs with the potential to address significant unmet medical needs.
Its lead assets include ONA-255, initially targeting resistant breast cancer, and ONA-389, focused on colorectal cancer.
Beyond these programs, the true strength of Ona lies in the ability of its platform to continuously generate new therapeutic opportunities, creating multiple pathways for long-term value creation.
A Strong Fit with Columbus’ Investment Strategy
At Columbus Venture Partners, we invest in companies that combine differentiated science, significant unmet medical needs and global growth potential.
Ona represents a particularly compelling opportunity due to the strength of its scientific foundation, the quality of its leadership team, the scale of the markets it addresses and the potential to build a diversified oncology platform with multiple value inflection points.
The investment also reinforces Columbus’ longstanding expertise in oncology and advanced therapies, areas in which the firm has played an active role for years, helping develop innovative technologies with the potential to transform standards of care.
Building the Future of Oncology
Biomedical innovation advances when exceptional science is combined with entrepreneurial vision, specialized capital and operational expertise.
Ona Therapeutics embodies that combination.
We are proud to support Valérie Vanhooren and the entire Ona team as they enter this next stage of growth and continue advancing therapies that have the potential to improve outcomes for patients while creating long-term value for the biotechnology ecosystem.
