Funding advances Proteasome Inhibitor ADC Platform targeting cancer, inflammatory and autoimmune disorders
QLi5 Therapeutics GmbH (QLi5), a spin-off from the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, has successfully completed a capital increase totaling over 6.2 million Euro. This strategic investment, significantly backed by the Korean biotech company Qurient and by QLi5 co-founder and Nobel laureate Prof. Dr. Robert Huber, is intended to decisively advance the development of QLi5's pioneering Proteasome Inhibitor (PI)-based Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) platform.
To the Point
- Multi-million Euro Investment: QLi5 Therapeutics has raised over EUR 6.2 million from Qurient and existing shareholders to accelerate development of its proteasome inhibitor-based ADC platform.
- Next-generation ADC technology: QLi5 is developing a novel, non-covalent proteasome inhibitor payload that shows strong efficacy in preclinical models, including tumors resistant to conventional ADCs.
- Universal payload potential: Preclinical data indicate broad anti-cancer activity across multiple targets and cell types, supporting the use of the PI payload as a universal ADC platform.
- Max Planck spin-off: Founded on Nobel Prize-winning proteasome research, QLi5 translates Max Planck science into drug development with ongoing support from Max Planck Innovation GmbH.
QLi5 Therapeutics is developing a next generation of proteasome inhibitors based on a novel, non-covalent mechanism of action. Developed in close collaboration with Nobel laureate Robert Huber at the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, the platform is designed to enable highly potent and selective targeting of the proteasome, while offering improved pharmacokinetic properties, broader tissue distribution and a more favorable safety profile.
In October 2025, QLi5 and Qurient presented compelling preclinical research results for PI-payload-based ADCs. The results demonstrated that the PI-payload, as a novel mechanism of action, showed excellent anti-cancer efficacy in animal models that were resistant to conventional TOP1-inhibitor-based ADCs, such as Enhertu. The potential as a "universal payload" was also confirmed, as its efficacy is not limited to specific cancer cell types but could be demonstrated across various cell types and target models.
Details on Capital Increase and Strategic Alignment
Now, in December 2025, QLi5 resolved to implement a capital increase totalling 6,257,600 Euro. Qurient's participation substantially increases the company's voting stake in QLi5. Particularly noteworthy is the continued participation of Robert Huber, co-founder of QLi5 and 1988 Nobel laureate in Chemistry, which underscores his deep confidence in QLi5's technological expertise and future potential.
The new funds will be specifically used to advance the development of the PI-payload technology. This next-generation ADC platform represents a promising new alternative that aims to overcome the limitations of existing ADC therapeutics.
A Strong Joint Venture with an Excellent Scientific Foundation
QLi5 Therapeutics was founded as a joint venture by Qurient in collaboration with Lead Discovery Center (LDC), the Max Planck Society (MPG), and Robert Huber. Huber, a renowned structural biologist, received his Nobel Prize in Chemistry for being the first to decipher the three-dimensional structure of the proteasome, a cellular proteolytic apparatus. Building on his findings and the subsequent drug discovery work by LDC, QLi5 has developed a next-generation therapeutic approach that drastically reduces the side effects of previous proteasome inhibitors and can extend its spectrum of application to various cancer types.
Kiyean Nam, CEO of Qurient, commented: "This capital increase is far more than mere financing; it is a strategic decision to fully unlock the enormous potential of QLi5's PI-mechanism technology as a next-generation ADC payload. With the continued support of Robert Huber and the strong network of LDC and MPG, we will accelerate development to become a gamechanger in the global ADC market."
Max Planck Innovation GmbH, the central technology transfer organization of the Max Planck Society, supported the establishment of QLi5 from the outset by structuring and managing the underlying intellectual property and accompanying the company through its formation and ongoing development.
"Spin-offs like QLi5 exemplify how breakthrough discoveries from Max Planck research can be successfully translated into broadly applicable innovative therapeutic approaches with significant patient benefit. By combining outstanding basic science with strong industrial partnerships, QLi5 demonstrates the power of academic entrepreneurship in advancing cutting-edge biomedical innovation.", said Ulrich Mahr, Member General Management at Max Planck Innovation GmbH.
Dieter Link, Senior Patenting & Licensing Manager at Max Planck Innovation added: "Professor Huber's pioneering insights into the structure and function of the proteasome have enabled the development and various applications of a new class of proteasome inhibitors. The current financing provides the resources needed to further advance this technology and translate it into differentiated therapeutic applications."
