MIG Fonds leads a CHF 7.75 million seed funding round for ASTRA Therapeutics, a Swiss startup developing innovative parasitic medications for the veterinary market.

Target Information

ASTRA Therapeutics AG, founded in 2022, is a Swiss startup based in the Innovation Park InnovAARE in Villigen, Switzerland. The company specializes in developing innovative parasitic agents (parasiticides) that target parasites by inhibiting cell division while preserving the host's health. Utilizing its proprietary technology platform, ParaX®, ASTRA is creating species-specific drug candidates, known as Parabuline®, aimed at tackling critical indications within the veterinary market.

ASTRA's pipeline includes over 15 patentable chemical classes containing nanomolar potent candidates designed to combat prevalent parasites, such as coccidia in livestock and heartworms in dogs and cats. Furthermore, in vivo efficacy evidence for several new molecular entities (NMEs) has already been demonstrated.

Industry Overview

The global parasiticide market is valued at over $10 billion and is experiencing a robust growth rate of approximately 5.6% annually. This growth is driven by the increasing prevalence of resistance to tradition