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In June 2016, Jonas Helma-Smets writes an email. Politely worded, almost hesitant. He introduces himself, explains his idea, and asks for support. No funding, no infrastructure, no guarantee that anyone will be interested at all. Ten years later, this very idea becomes one of Europe’s biggest biotech exits: U.S. pharmaceutical company Gilead acquires Munich-based biotech startup Tubulis for up to five billion US dollars. Munich Startup spoke with people who accompanied the journey.

Munich-based biotech unicorn Tubulis is being acquired by US company Gilead for a multibillion-euro amount.

Munich remains a unicorn hotspot: based on a current evaluation of our Munich Startup Insights, we show you which startups have crossed the billion-euro valuation mark. Click through the unicorn gallery and discover the most exciting scaleups in the city right up to true icons of the scene.

The Munich biotech company Tubulis expands its series C financing round from 308 million euros to 344 million euros, thereby accelerating the development of its most promising ADC candidate.

Munich-based biotech Tubulis works on special antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for cancer therapy. The company has now secured 308 million euros in a record-breaking Series C to further expand clinical development.

Three Munich startups impressed at this year’s European Lifestars Awards in London: Among all applications and nominees received, Scirhom, Catalym and Tubulis prevailed in their respective categories.

Tubulis is working on specialized antibody-drug conjugates for cancer therapy. The Munich-based biotech has now completed an extended and oversubscribed series B2 financing round of 128 million euros.

Tubulis has entered into a strategic partnership with American pharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb. The startup based at the IZB in Martinsried receives 22.75 million dollars as an upfront payment through the deal and up to a total of 1 billion dollars.

Munich is one of Germany’s leading biotech locations. Here, research is being conducted on a wide variety of medications and therapies, including against cancer. We present five startups in more detail.