The 18 most promising biotech startups, according to investors

Biotech companies attracted over CHF 301 million in investments so far in 2022, underlining the relevance of the sector in Switzerland. The ranking of the TOP 100 Swiss Startups 2022 reflects this as well: the expert jury voted 18 biotech startups into the ranking, including companies developing new biomolecular processes, personalizing medical treatments, and creating other novel tools to interact with human biology.

The TOP 100 Swiss Startup Awards showcase the most promising Swiss startups. The annual ranking has become a benchmark in Switzerland’s startup ecosystem and beyond. Every year, a panel of 100 leading investors and startup experts chooses the 100 most innovative and promising Swiss startups. Each jury member nominates 10 Swiss startups that are less than five years old and show the greatest commercial potential. The first-placed company receives 10 points, the second nine points, and so on. The individual rankings are compiled to generate the final TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award ranking. In parallel, the TOP 100 Public Voting allows everyone with a LinkedIn account to cast one vote and choose the most promising startup per vertical.




CUTISS, #4
CUTISS multiplies skin cells and enables people with extensive burns or skin injuries to receive a skin graft promptly. The company grows human skin in the lab for patients that suffer from skin defects by bio-engineering individually customized human skin starting off from a very small piece of the patient’s skin. Because CUTISS’ skin closely resembles human skin, minimal scarring occurs after surgery. www.cutiss.swiss

HAYA Therapeutics, #8
HAYA Therapeutics produces precision drugs for heart muscle fibrosis. HAYA Therapeutics is dedicated to treating heart failure through the discovery and development of innovative first-in-class RNA-based therapeutics, with a specific focus on long noncoding RNA. www.hayatx.com

TOLREMO Therapeutics, #14
The molecules developed by TOLREMO prevent the development of resistance in various types of cancer and can be combined
with existing cancer drugs. Founder and CEO Stefanie Flückiger-Mangual and her team hope to be able to start clinical trials before the end of the year. www.tolremo.com

Araris Biotech, #19
Araris Biotech AG is a spin-off company from the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and ETH Zurich focusing on the commercialization of a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) linker technology. Araris' innovative platform allows for the attachment of any payload to "off the shelf" antibodies without the need for prior antibody engineering in one step. The resulting ADCs have a well-defined drug-to-antibody ratio and are stable and monomeric. The straightforward drug conjugation, the versatility of the technology, and high in vivo efficacy enable the generation of ADC compounds for the treatment of a high number of patients with unmet medical needs. www.ararisbiotech.com

EraCal Therapeutics, #29
EraCal combats one of the most widespread health risks globally: excess weight and obesity. A spin-off from the University of Zurich and Harvard University, the company pioneers the next generation of cardiometabolic therapies, developing a novel drug candidate, Era-379, to reduce appetite. Reducing appetite facilitates blood sugar and lipid control, reduces body weight and liver fat content, and facilitates healthy aging. www.eracal.ch

Anaveon, #30
Anaveon is developing IL-2 complexes that selectively promote effector T cell functions. Their compounds act as effective immune adjuvants with a broad therapeutic window and marked preclinical efficacy against cancer either as monotherapy or in combination with other therapies. www.anaveon.com

Bright Peak, #33
Bright Peak is developing next-generation engineered cytokines for immuno-oncology indications. www.brightpeaktx.com

GlycoEra, #40
GlycoEra AG is building a high-value pipeline of medicines based on deep expertise in glycobiology and protein degradation. The company's innovative CustomGlycan platform enables the design, engineering, and development of novel biologics for a broad range of indications. GlycoEra is advancing a range of assets toward human clinical studies. www.glycoera.com

STALICLA, #41
STALICLA is advancing the first clinically validated precision medicine platform for patients with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), with the first application in ASD. The company has identified and validated several subgroups of patients with ASD and corresponding treatment candidates. www.stalicla.com

ArcoScreen, #42
ArcoScreen is a EPFL spin-off that developed a new cell membrane receptor screening platform based on microfluidic readout systems and focusing on G Protein Coupled Receptors also called GPCRs. The novel and unique patented assay embedded in a microfluidic chip, called SynScreen, is the only means today for the rapid and accurate identification of drugs targeting GPCRs directly on primary patient cells. The implication is nothing less than more accurate, cheaper, and faster drug discoveries, for the mutual benefit of patients and ArcoScreen. www.arcoscreen.ch

Annaida Technologies, #46
Annaida Technologies developed a groundbreaking device, EmbryoSpin, that performs microscopic nuclear magnetic Resonance (µNMR) at a tenfold higher scale than existing technologies, enabling non-invasive chemical analysis at the scale of a single human embryo. µNMR opens new global markets in assisted reproductive technology (ART), enabling non-invasive embryo viability screening for in vitro fertilization (IVF), as well as in biochemical research. www.annaida.ch

Alentis Therapeutics, #51
Alentis focuses on breakthrough treatments for fibrotic and rare diseases as well as associated cancers. The company uses its portfolio of unique monoclonal antibodies to develop a pipeline of novel mechanisms targeting advanced fibrosis and cancer. www.alentis.ch

Invasight, #54
The early-clinical stage biotech startup uses its breakthrough technology, ACINDA™, we identify and design specific protein-protein interaction inhibitors (PPIs) for non-traditional intercellular protein targets, which cause cancer cell invasion. Their first-in-class PPIs combine potent anti-tumor activity with a favorable safety profile for patients with invasive cancers. www.invasight.com

CDR-Life, #71
CDR-Life leverages its unique antibody technology, M-gager®, to target highly cancer-specific intracellular proteins presented on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). CDR-Life is advancing a robust pipeline of novel fully cancer-directed T-cell engagers in various solid tumors. CDR-Life has a strategic partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim to develop an antibody fragment-based therapeutic for geographic atrophy, a leading cause of blindness worldwide. www.cdr-life.com

NextImmune, #72
NextImmune develops novel immunosuppressive drugs. Its therapies are based on compounds that interfere with coronin-1-dependent T-cell activation in autoimmune diseases and organ transplantation. www.nextimmune.com

Synendos, #79
Synendos is developing a new class of small molecules for the treatment of anxiety and stress-related disorders. There is a high demand for new pharmacological treatments in this area, especially for certain diseases such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which has a high unmet medical need. www.synendos.com

Nagi Bioscience, #82
Nagi Bioscience developed the first device that allows replacing animal testing with tests conducted on micro-organisms. Our clients, pharma, cosmetic and chemical companies, finally have a sustainable, rapid, and cost-effective new alternative for their product discovery and testing, while saving millions of animals’ lives. www.nagibio.ch

SEED Biosciences, #83
SEED's DispenCell allows scientists to isolate single cells reliably and cost-effectively by reducing lab time and validation time. www.seedbiosciences.com


PUBLIC VOTING: TissueLabs
TissueLabs is the platform for creating organs and tissues in the lab. The startup offers biomaterials, equipment, and services to support tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Its mission is to fabricate lab-grown tissues and organs, for both research and therapeutic applications. www.tissuelabs.com