CataloniaBio & HealthTech has recognised ONA Therapeutics with the Biosuccess award 2021 for its consolidation, investment attraction and growth as a spin-off. The event took place during the UnConference, the annual day of debate on the future of healthcare solutions promoted by CataloniaBio & HealthTech.

ONA Therapeutics S.L. is a biotechnology company specializing in the discovery and development of new biological therapies aimed at metastasis initiating cells and lipid metabolism. Founded in 2019 by Valerie Vanhooren and Salvador Aznar-Benitah, it is a spin-off of the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA) and the Barcelona Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona). A year later, in 2020, ONA  closed a series A funding round of 30 million euros, the largest round ever achieved by a company in preclinical stage in Spain, and one of the largest in Europe during 2020. This funding will allow ONA to complete preclinical  development and initiate the first clinical studies in advanced cancer patients with its leading candidate. The Biosuccess award adds to other recent recognitions such as being named by Fierce Biotech one of the most promising biotechnology companies of 2020 and being among the eight finalists for the Nature Spinoff 2021 award.

Valerie  Vanhooren, co-founder and CEO of ONA Therapeutics, about the CataloniaBio & HealthTech Bio-Success Award said, "You don't know the energy it gives us to receive this recognition." She highlighted the internationalization of the Catalan biotechnology sector and claimed that “in the sector we must stop being humble. Five years ago, when I arrived in Barcelona, in Catalonia, I found excellent  science, capital and specialist investors, exceptional professionals and a  strong biotechnology community."

In her speech, the CEO of CataloniaBio & HealthTech, Judit Anido, remarked that “the evolution of the sector provides us with more and more success cases that highlight its maturity, making it more and more difficult each year for us to choose the winner, but this is very good news”. From ONA Therapeutics she highlighted the leadership of its CEO, "in the week that we celebrated Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, Valerie is an example of talent to follow". The award was given by the Secretary General of Economy and Finance, Jordi  Cabrafiga.

Previous editions of the award have gone to Oryzon (2015), Minoryx Therapeutics and Palobiofarma (2016), STAT-Dx and Mosaic Biomedicals (2017), Anaconda Biomed and Mind the Byte (2018) and Ysios Capital and Antonio Parente (2019), and Kymos (2020).

The 2021 UnConference was made possible thanks to collaboration from BStartup and the support of ACCIÓ.

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