Mabion Awards €500,000 CDMO Services to WPD Pharmaceuticals for Breakthrough ADC Project
Mabion Biologics CDMO, announced today that WPD Pharmaceuticals has been selected by the expert jury as the winner of its “Unlocking the Future of Therapeutics” innovation contest. WPD Pharmaceuticals will receive up to €500,000 in service credits for Mabion’s biologics development and manufacturing services with which it can accelerate the development of the next-generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) program in oncology.
As a partner to innovators, Mabion is focused on turning future biologics ideas into reliable, scalable products, which is exactly why we launched this competition to help breakthrough science that often stalls at the CMC hurdle. WPD Pharmaceuticals presented a differentiated ADC project that combines multivalent targeting with platform flexibility to address tumor heterogeneity, extend into CNS tumors and brain metastases, and potentially translate across multiple additional oncology indications, significantly amplifying its value and benefits for patients as well as for Mabion as a development partner, making it an ideal fit for our analytical depth and GMP capabilities. With up to €500,000 in service credits in integrated CDMO support, we’re de-risking the critical steps and accelerating this program toward the clinic, investing in a therapy with real potential for patients and in the future of oncology development. We’re proud to back a project with clear potential in glioblastoma and other high-need indications.
We’re pleased to see the growing recognition of our multivalent ADC platform’s potential, and we value that Mabion sees it as well. Our project embodies our belief that multivalent ADCs can redefine outcomes for patients with the fewest options. We look forward to collaborating with Mabion, benefiting from their deep CDMO expertise across analytics, CMC, and manufacturing, and from their clear communication and genuinely partner-oriented way of working. Mabion’s CDMO support will meaningfully accelerate our path to the clinic by powering the analytical, CMC, and manufacturing work needed to translate our science into a therapeutic reality.
Key Features of the Winning Project
WPD Project is designed to deliver exceptional precision, high antitumor activity, and broad therapeutic potential for cancers with limited treatment options. Originally developed for glioblastoma, this project has also demonstrated promising cytotoxic efficacy in additional malignancies that overexpress its targeted receptors, including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), HER2-positive breast cancer (particularly with brain metastases), and colorectal cancer, supported by preliminary receptor-expression data. By delivering its cytotoxic payload directly into cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue, the therapy promises to address urgent needs in these hard-to-treat cancers.
What sets this ADC project apart from conventional therapies is a suite of innovative features:
Multivalent Targeting: The ADC’s engineered protein backbone can bind simultaneously to four distinct tumor-associated receptors, greatly enhancing tumor selectivity and overcoming intra-tumoral heterogeneity. This multivalent approach ensures that a broader spectrum of cancer cells – including diverse cell subpopulations within a tumor – can be targeted effectively.
Platform Flexibility: The ADC’s protein scaffold is designed for platform flexibility, allowing researchers to easily exchange its cytotoxic payload for different warheads or even radiotracers depending on the cancer indication. This modular design means the same targeting molecule could deliver a traditional chemotherapy toxin or a radioisotope, enabling a personalized therapeutic strategy against various cancers. This flexibility means the therapy can be tailored to maximize efficacy against various cancer types without redesigning the targeting mechanism.
Pioneering CNS Application: This is one of the first multivalent ADCs developed specifically for treating central nervous system tumors and metastatic cancers. Its ability to target and eliminate tumor cells in the brain represents a significant first-mover advantage, opening new possibilities for patients with aggressive gliomas and brain metastases.
Global Research Collaboration: The project stems from an exclusive worldwide license and a close research partnership with universities, scientific institutes and experts in targeted brain tumor therapies. This collaboration brings together cutting-edge academic science and industry know-how, exemplifying how international partnerships can accelerate innovation.
This prize marks a big step forwards in building the partnership between Mabion and WPD Pharmaceuticals.
Empowering Biotech Innovation
Mabion’s “Unlocking the Future of Therapeutics” contest was conceived as a unique initiative in the biopharma industry to bridge funding gaps and support high-potential oncology breakthroughs. At a time when many promising biologics struggle to progress due to limited funding, Mabion is providing a lifeline – a comprehensive package of development services worth €500,000 – to help bring a game-changing therapy closer to the clinic.
Mabion announced the contest during the BIO International Convention 2025 in Boston, and unveiled the winner at CPHI 2025 in Frankfurt, the world’s largest pharmaceutical industry trade fair. The competition jury included experts with extensive scientific experience:
- Prof. Tadeusz Pietrucha, Medical Biotechnology Department at Medical University of Łódź – Translational Oncology Expert
- Prof. Gestur Vidarsson, PI and Head of Immunoglobulin Research at Sanquin Research at the Utrecht University and Chair of the Immunoglobulin Biotherapeutics group – Leading Expert in Immunoglobulin-based Biotherapeutics
- Alicja Santos, Ph.D., CEO of Polonium Foundation – Biotech Talent Advocate
- Julita Balcerek, Ph.D., Head of Scientific and Operational Affairs at Mabion – CDMO Strategy Leader
As the winner, this ADC project will receive end-to-end development support from Mabion’s team, including process development, analytical services, GMP manufacturing of the drug substance, and regulatory guidance. This extensive in-kind support is designed to accelerate the project’s journey from laboratory to clinical trials, ensuring that its potential benefits reach patients as swiftly as possible.
About Mabion
Mabion S.A. (WSE: MAB) is a Polish biopharmaceutical company founded in 2007. In 2023–2024, the company underwent a strategic transformation into a biologics-focused Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), offering an integrated range of services. Mabion provides a broad spectrum of CDMO solutions for small and mid-sized projects across various stages of development – from early-stage cell line development to commercial manufacturing. The company’s core competencies include monoclonal antibody and recombinant protein technologies (based on both mammalian and insect cell expression systems), advanced analytical capabilities, as well as the production of both Drug Substances (DS) and Drug Products (DP). Mabion operates in accordance with globally recognized quality standards, including GMP and ISO. Mabion employs approximately 200 highly qualified professionals, including scientists, engineers and specialists in quality, manufacturing and analytical development of biologics. Headquartered in the heart of Europe, in Poland – a member state of the European Union – Mabion offers seamless access to highly regulated international markets. The company’s mission is to be a trusted global partner in the development and manufacturing of biologic medicines. Mabion is a publicly listed company, traded on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. For more information about Mabion, please visit mabion.eu
About WPD Pharmaceuticals
WPD Pharmaceuticals is a Polish biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative oncology therapies. The company collaborates with leading academic institutions in Europe and the U.S., advancing a pipeline of R&D projects that include cutting-edge molecules based on technologies such as ADCs and kinase inhibitors. WPD’s mission is to deliver innovative, safe, and effective therapies that address unmet medical needs in the field of oncology.
