Engineering the Future of Cancer Treatment

Actithera, a radiopharmaceutical biotech with dual headquarters in Oslo and Cambridge, MA, has secured a $75.5 million (€25 million) Series A funding round. The oversubscribed round was co-led by founding investor M Ventures and new backers Hadean Ventures, Sofinnova Partners, and 4BIO Capital, alongside syndicate participants Bioqube Ventures, Surveyor Capital, Investinor, and Arkin Bio Ventures II. These funds will power Actithera’s pioneering work in advancing their lead fibroblast activation protein (FAP) radioligand therapy (RLT) into clinical stages and support expansion of its proprietary discovery platform.

A Three-Pillar Platform Built for Precision

At the core of Actithera’s strategy is a three-pillar platform that combines covalent-targeting chemistry to extend radioligand residence time in tumors, an isotope-agnostic design that allows flexibility between alpha and beta emitters, and optimized pharmacokinetics to balance high tumor uptake with rapid systemic clearance.

This approach enables high tumor specificity while minimizing off-target exposure, setting new benchmarks for both safety and therapeutic efficacy. By engineering therapies that stay in the tumor longer and clear quickly from the rest of the body, Actithera is pushing the boundaries of precision oncology.

Founder’s Vision and a Singular Focus

Dr. Andreas Goutopoulos, a medicinal chemistry expert and Actithera’s founder, brings deep industry expertise from his years at EMD Serono and M Ventures. Remarkably, he raised this Series A as a solo founder without a full leadership team in place - a bold move that highlights his sharp focus on scientific rigor and market readiness.

Rather than chasing broad oncology trends, Actithera zeroed in on a specific technical constraint: limited tumor retention of RLTs. By addressing this problem head-on, the company didn’t merely improve on existing therapies; it offered a fundamentally new paradigm that reframes how precision radioligand therapies can be designed.

Here lies a vital insight for founders: the most disruptive opportunities often come from solving constraints that have been silently accepted as unchangeable. Users and markets often tolerate these as “the way things are.” When you remove such invisible barriers, your solution doesn’t just add value - it feels inevitable. This is why Actithera’s approach resonates so deeply with investors and partners alike: it transforms the treatment landscape by eliminating what was previously seen as a limitation.

Riding the Radiopharma Wave

Radioligand therapies are rapidly emerging as a game-changing category in oncology. As large pharmaceutical giants continue to invest billions in radiopharma, Actithera stands out by offering a differentiated, chemistry-driven solution. With its FAP-targeting candidate and superior pharmacokinetics, the company aims to deliver a “best-in-class” therapy that combines precision, efficacy, and patient safety.

Scaling Clinical and Platform Development

This $75.5 million funding round will enable Actithera to advance its lead FAP-directed radioligand into clinical development across multiple oncology indications, expand its discovery engine to new RLT candidates, and strengthen its technology platform with additional preclinical programs.

Board seats filled by partners from 4BIO, Hadean, Sofinnova, and Bioqube add strategic depth and operational expertise to support Actithera’s ambitious clinical and commercial plans.

Seizing the Market Moment

Actithera’s timing is impeccable. The radioligand therapy market is projected to grow from $7.5 billion to $14.4 billion by 2034, driven by the urgent demand for precision oncology solutions. Actithera’s platform directly addresses the central challenge of balancing tumor-level efficacy with systemic safety - a balance that defines the future of radiopharma.

Looking forward, Actithera plans to initiate multiple clinical programs in 2026, including trials that leverage longer-lived isotopes to enable less frequent dosing and greater patient comfort. By combining superior chemistry with smart pharmacokinetics, these trials could set new benchmarks in clinical oncology and reshape standard-of-care protocols.

The Road Ahead

With this new funding, Actithera is poised to not only advance its lead candidate but also evolve its platform into a discovery powerhouse for the next generation of radiopharmaceutical therapies. The company’s commitment to solving technical constraints rather than chasing market hype positions it uniquely in an increasingly crowded space.

By staying focused on deep science and embracing a constraint-solving mindset, Actithera is turning what was once thought impossible into an industry standard. With its robust platform, visionary leadership, and now substantial Series A backing, Actithera is on track to redefine precision cancer care - and possibly the very future of radiopharma.