WALTHAM, Mass. — Fortitude Biomedicines, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on immune cell–targeting biologics and molecular glue–enabled antibody–drug conjugates for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancer, has launched following the close of a $13 million seed financing.
The financing was co-led by K2 Bio Partners, Shanghai Healthcare Angel Capital, and Elikon Venture, with participation from Everjoy Fortune and Taihill Venture. The proceeds will support advancement of Fortitude’s lead immune cell–targeting biologic through Investigational New Drug–enabling studies, as well as continued development of the company’s proprietary GLUE-DACTM platform.
GLUE-DACTM is a next-generation antibody–drug conjugate platform powered by proprietary molecular glue payloads. Originally developed in the laboratory of Professor Jin Wang, Ph.D., at Baylor College of Medicine, the platform is designed to combine the targeting precision of antibody–drug conjugates with the catalytic potential of targeted protein degradation. The company believes the approach may expand the therapeutic window of antibody–drug conjugates, overcome resistance mechanisms, and enable access to new therapeutic targets in oncology and autoimmune disease.
Fortitude was co-founded by Jesse Chen, Ph.D., a serial biotechnology entrepreneur who previously co-founded TRIANA Biomedicines and Avilar Therapeutics, and Professor Jin Wang, Ph.D., Director at the Center for NexGen Therapeutics and Michael E. DeBakey, M.D. Endowed Professor in Pharmacology at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Chen will serve as President and Chief Executive Officer, leading the company’s research and business operations. Prior to founding Fortitude, he served as Chief Technology Officer at TRIANA Biomedicines and brings nearly two decades of experience spanning early discovery through preclinical development.
Dr. Chen will serve on Fortitude’s Board of Directors alongside independent Chair Tim Noyes, President and CEO of Newleos Therapeutics, and institutional director Yunhai Wang, Ph.D., Managing Partner at K2 Bio Partners.
“Fortitude is at the forefront of a new era in therapeutic innovation. With proprietary antibody-based technology, we are unlocking the ability to precisely target diseases while engaging the body’s own biology in powerful, transformative ways,” said Dr. Jesse Chen, President and CEO of Fortitude. “GLUE-DACTM is a powerful modality that aims to redefine precision medicines and bring new hope to patients.”
“Resistance is increasingly emerging as a challenge in the current ADC therapeutic landscape. The field urgently needs payloads with distinct mechanisms of action. GLUE-DACTM technology meets this unmet need by combining the validated delivery capabilities of antibodies with the transformative potential of targeted protein degradation,” said Dr. Jin Wang, Professor in Pharmacology at Baylor College of Medicine. “I am thrilled to work with Fortitude to advance their novel platform and be part of their mission to deliver a new generation of effective therapies for patients.”
“Fortitude Biomedicines is dedicated to developing next-generation biologics and ADC technology for immunotherapy and oncology therapy. The founding team brings a strong global perspective, with deep expertise and a proven track record across translational research, drug development, and clinical execution. K2 Bio Partners has been conducting systematic research in the immunotherapy and oncology space and highly recognizes Fortitude’s scientific vision, differentiated technology approach, and leading position in this field,” said Dr. Yunhai Wang, Managing Partner at K2 Bio Partners. “We believe that Fortitude has the potential to become a leading international enterprise in immunotherapy and oncology treatment. We look forward to working closely with the company to accelerate the development of its pipeline and bring benefits to patients worldwide.”
“Fortitude employs a unique platform to develop novel payloads for antibody-drug conjugates, addressing resistance seen with conventional ADCs and extending this modality to autoimmune diseases, which is a meaningful and transformative effort for the current therapeutic landscape,” said Samuel Guo, Partner of Shanghai Healthcare Angel Capital. “With the seasoned team led by Dr. Chen, we are highly confident in advancing the development of potential life-changing therapies.”
