This article showcases our top picks for the best German startups focusing on Biopharma. These startups and companies are taking a variety of approaches to innovating the Biopharma industry, but are all exceptional companies well worth a follow.
We meticulously selected companies ranging from cutting-edge startups to established brands based on their outstanding performance in the following categories:
- Innovation: Innovative ideas, innovative route to market, innovative product
- Growth: Exceptional growth, exceptional growth strategy
- Management, diversity and/or societal impact
Top German startups focused on Biopharma
Data sourced from Crunchbase and SemRush.
BioNTech: Founded in 2008 in Mainz, BioNTech emphasizes individualized cancer treatments, harnessing advanced platforms like mRNA therapeutics and engineered cell therapies. Their commitment to innovation extends to collaborations and state-of-the-art manufacturing, aiming to globally provide personalized therapies.
Evotec: Life science firm that emphasizes innovative patient therapeutics. They harness the “Data-driven R&D Autobahn to Cures” for collaborative ventures. With 5,000+ professionals at 17 locations, they aim for a leading co-owned therapeutic pipeline.
CureVac: Based in Tübingen, CureVac is listed as CVAC on Nasdaq, and has over 20 years in messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, leveraging it to combat diseases. Through collaborations, like with GSK, they’re innovating in vaccines, cancer treatments, and rare disease therapies. Based in Tübingen, Germany, they operate globally with a robust clinical pipeline.
Cardior Pharmaceuticals: Cardior Pharmaceuticals, a foremost clinical-stage biopharmaceutical firm, is at the forefront of RNA-based therapies targeting heart diseases. Utilizing unique non-coding RNAs, they target the core issues of cardiac dysfunctions. They aim to offer groundbreaking therapies and diagnostics globally.
Eleva: Based in Freiburg, Eleva develops novel biological therapies with its pharmaceutical partners. The privately-held company leverages its unique moss-based production platform to produce supreme biologics like antibodies, replacement enzymes, or fusion toxins. Eleva has successfully developed drug candidates for clinical phases.
Isotopen Technologien München: Founded in 2004, They specialise in developing and distributing for targeted cancer treatment. With a global GMP-compliant supply network, they focus on enhancing cancer patient outcomes while reducing side effects through Targeted Radionuclide Therapies. Their innovative approach addresses diverse cancers, partnering globally to improve precision oncology.
Vivoryon Therapeutics: A clinical-stage company dedicated to developing small molecule drugs, leveraging their profound knowledge of disease pathways, with the sole aim of enhancing the lives of individuals suffering from severe illnesses.
Allecra Therapeutics: Founded in 2013, Allecra Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical firm combatting antibiotic resistance. Their lead product, cefepime/enmetazobactam, outperformed standard cUTI treatments in a global Phase 3 trial, prompting marketing approval preparations in the U.S. and EU.
Rentschler Biopharma SE: A leading CDMO based in Laupheim, with a site in Milford, MA, USA, specializes in biopharmaceutical process development, manufacturing, and consulting, ensuring high-quality solutions for clients. Emphasizing quality management, operational excellence, and advanced tech, they guarantee product excellence.
4SC: Based in Planegg-Martinsried, they focus on resminostat, an oral histone deacetylase inhibitor, for treating various cancers, especially cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). CTCL affects around 5,000 Europeans annually, with limited durable treatment options.
Atriva Therapeutics: Dedicated to creating antiviral therapies for severe respiratory diseases like influenza and COVID-19. Their lead product, zapnometinib (ATR-002), uniquely targets the host to curb viral replication, reducing the likelihood of viral resistance. The team blends cutting-edge viral research with industry expertise to advance pandemic readiness.
c-LEcta: Based in Leipzig, specializes in enzyme products for the food and pharmaceutical sectors using its ENESYZ® platform. Serving 400+ customers globally, they’re part of the Kerry Group, a global leader in taste, nutrition, and sustainable solutions with 22,000 employees across 150+ locations.
GeneQuine Biotherapeutics GmbH: Headquartered in Hamburg, innovates with its HCAd gene therapy vector, addressing challenges like large gene transfer. They target conditions such as osteoarthritis and disc degeneration. The company has additional sites in Luckenwalde, Germany, and Liège, Belgium.
LXP Group GmbH: Founded in 2012, the LXP Group, specializes in a unique digestion process for wooden biomass utilization. Holding 49 patents across three families, they’re the sole global company that can decompose lignified biomass into components for biomethane, bioethanol, and biochemical production.
Phenex Pharmaceuticals: Founded in 2002, Phenex Pharmaceuticals AG is a private company specializing in small-molecule drug discovery for liver diseases and cancer. Their goal is to convert scientific discoveries into top-tier therapies. Their lead drug, Cilofexor, sold to Gilead Sciences in 2014, is now in phase 2 clinical trials.
Thermosome: Specialized in targeted cancer therapy, using a heat-sensitive liposomal formulation to enhance drug penetration in tumours. It delivers doxorubicin directly to tumours, aiming for higher efficacy and combating drug resistance. Initially focusing on soft tissue sarcoma, the potential extends to other anthracycline-sensitive cancers.
Formycon: A developer of biosimilars, that emphasizes treatments in ophthalmology, immunology, and chronic diseases. Covering from technical development to clinical phase III and marketing approval preparation, they aim to expand patient access to vital, affordable medicines. Currently, with four biosimilars in progress, they’re also developing a COVID-19 drug.
Sysmex Inostics: Pioneer in ctDNA mutation detection, focusing on life-prolonging therapeutics and innovative diagnostics. Their SafeSEQ NGS technology detects mutations in ctDNA with a sensitivity down to 0.03% MAF. This ensures reliable data for therapy selection and tumour response monitoring across vast genomic areas.
Dynamic Biosensors GmbH: They offer advanced tools for analyzing biomolecular interactions, aiding in drug discovery and life sciences. Based in Munich’s biotech hub, they have expanded globally with offices in the US, UK, France, Poland, Portugal, Japan, and Singapore. Their innovations drive progress in cell & gene therapies.
Cardion: Biopharmaceutical company that integrates synergistic local gene delivery, stem cell engineering, and tolerance induction capabilities to build cardiovascular gene therapy products. Cardion was founded in 1996 and is based in Erkrath, Nordrhein-Westfalen.
GPC Biotech: GPC Biotech is a German biopharmaceutical company on a mission to discover and develop novel anti-cancer drugs. hey developed an anti-cancer drug through clinical phase 3 and filed for market registration. In 2009, GPC Biotech merged with the US-based company Agennix Inc.
Sartorius: A dynamic global life science company that welcomes ambitious individuals to contribute to the fight against incurable diseases. Their innovative technologies streamline drug development and production, expanding access to better medicine.
bioMérieux: Global in vitro diagnostics leader for six decades and operates in 45 countries. They provide diagnostic solutions for disease source identification, enhancing patient health, and ensuring consumer safety, primarily focusing on infectious disease diagnostics and microorganism detection in various industries.
Protagen Protein Services: Top CRO specializing in protein analytics and GMP-compliant protein therapeutic characterization. PPS supports Biosimilar developers in demonstrating Biosimilarity and provides advanced life science tools through its PANATecs Brand for protein analytics and immunology.
DyNAbind: Leader in DNA-Encoded Library drug discovery, offering rapid and precise solutions for complex medicinal chemistry. They collaborate with pharmaceutical, biotech, and academic partners to customize workflows and meet diverse discovery needs.
aquila biolabs: A start-up focusing on the development of innovative laboratory devices for the analysis of shake-flask fermentations. In 2021, aquila biolabs was acquired by Scientific Bioprocessing, Inc.
PRAMOMOLECULAR: They develop self-delivering siRNAs to downregulate mRNAs in organs like the lung, pancreas, heart, and colon. Their technology couples lipid residues directly to siRNAs, enabling organ-specific delivery beyond the liver, a crucial advancement in treating cancers and metabolic diseases.
Heidelberg Pharma AG: They focus on oncology and utilize their Antibody Targeted Amanitin Conjugate (ATAC) technology to develop innovative cancer therapies, including the lead candidate HDP-101 for multiple myeloma. Their mission is to deliver highly effective and well-tolerated treatments tailored for cancer patients.
OctreoPharm Sciences: A Berlin-based biopharmaceutical company, which focuses on the development of new radiopharmaceuticals for neuroendocrine tumours, was recently acquired by Ipsen. Ipsen specializes in developing and commercializing innovative medicines in three key therapeutic areas: oncology, neuroscience, and rare diseases.
Jena Bioscience: They specialise in developing and supplying innovative reagents and technologies for the life science market. Their products are used by research laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry, and reagent kit producers for various applications in fields such as molecular biology, biochemistry, and biotechnology.
ChromoTek: ChromoTek is a leader in Nanobody-based reagents, pioneering their development and serving global scientific research and the pharmaceutical industry. They were recently acquired by the Proteintech Group.
Mologen AG: They conduct research in the fields of oncology and serious infectious diseases, aiming to develop highly effective, low-side effects, and well-tolerated medications. They leverage molecular medical and immunological discoveries to enhance the body’s immune response against diseases or pathogens, using proprietary, patent-protected tech.
Radiopharma: Specializing in molecular imaging and nuclear medicine, we supply various radiopharmaceuticals, radiochemicals, and equipment for the synthesis and radiochromatography of PET/SPECT tracers used in the diagnosis of several diseases.
Cranach Pharma: based in Hamburg and part of the Medios Group, is a leading pharmaceutical wholesale company specializing in Specialty Pharma in Germany. They support specialized pharmacies with a wide range of services in oncology, neurology, rheumatology, hemophilia, and endocrinology.
pluriSelect: They provide efficient tools for cell and protein separation to researchers in academia and diagnostics. Their pluriBead® product series allows for versatile cell isolation from various biological liquids, prioritizing user-friendliness and high-quality results.
Pharmact: They focus on preventing disease through early detection. The company’s international team of medical experts is currently developing a pipeline of therapeutics for the treatment of arterial diseases and qualitative in-vitro diagnostics tests.
RESprotect: Dresden based, privately held Biotech company specialising in the development of drugs for the prevention and treatment of chemotherapeutic drug resistance and radiation therapy resistance.
Targos Molecular Pathology: The world’s largest biospecimen inventory and cutting-edge service labs, accelerate precision medicine for complex conditions. Their extensive biobank and collaborative clinical sites enable customized study cohorts, backed by CLIA certified, GLP compliant labs, and trusted by leading institutions.Rheincell
Rheincell manufactures GMP-compliant generation of human-induced pluripotent stem cells.
Rottendorf Pharma: CDMO with over 85 years of experience, specialises in solid oral dosage forms for global pharmaceutical companies. They operate under Total Process Ownership and Total Technological Mastering principles, always dedicated to client success, without their own product brands or licenses to avoid competition.
Bioassay: They specialise in bioanalytical assays for biopharmaceuticals and expanded their services in 2017 through a merger with PSL Peptide Specialty Laboratories GmbH. Headquartered in Heidelberg, they serve clients in biotechnology, chemistry, and cosmetics.
ASKA Biotech: CMO (contract manufacturing organization) specialized in cell culture, antibody & protein production and purification processes. ASKA Biotech specializes in cell culture, antibodies, protein production, and purification processes.
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