ADC startup ecosystem

A Araris Biotech

Araris Biotech is a Basel-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2020 as a spin-out from the Paul Scherrer Institute and ETH Zurich. The company develops a proprietary antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) linker technology that enables precise attachment of cytotoxic payloads to standard, unmodified antibodies for targeted cancer therapy — unlike conventional ADC approaches that require chemical modification of the antibody itself. This plug-and-play technology gives pharma partners a faster, cleaner path to next-generation ADC cancer treatments. Araris raised a CHF 36 million Series A in 2023 led by V-Bio Ventures, with participation from Novartis Venture Fund and Pfizer Ventures. The company represents Switzerland's strength in precision medicine and its deep integration between academic research institutes and commercially focused biotech.