The Basel-based biotech startup Allegria Therapeutics has received seed funding of 3.5 million dollars from the founding investor Forty51 Ventures, announced a statement. Allegria Therapeutics was founded in 2023 by Forty51 Ventures, also based in Basel. With a differentiated portfolio of proprietary therapeutic approaches around biological targets that selectively modulate mast cells, Allegria plans to redefine the treatment landscape for allergies and mast cell-mediated inflammatory diseases, according to the statement.

Allegria also announced the appointment of co-founder Maria van Dongen as Chief Executive Officer. Van Dongen previously worked at Johnson & Johnson, where she promoted external partnerships. Prior to that, she led research and development projects, including the discovery of innovative orally active broad-spectrum influenza drugs.

Allegria is a Venture Leaders Biotech 2024

According to the statement, Allegria will use the funding to further develop a portfolio of proprietary therapeutic approaches around target molecules that selectively modulate mast cells. Allegria is working with partners worldwide in the field of basic mast cell biology, drug discovery and preclinical drug testing, the statement continues. These partners include Professor Marcus Maurer, Managing Director of the Institute for Allergy Research at Berlin’s Charité, and Dr. Philipp Starkl, Principal Investigator at the Medical University of Vienna.

Allegria is one of the Venture Leaders Biotech 2024 who have been invited to Boston by the startup promoter Venturelab from 12 to 18 May. Other invitees include the startup Ymmunobio from Basel, which specializes in cancer therapies.