Ibex Therapeutics lands $781K Innosuisse grant for cancer side-effect treatment
What's the deal? Ibex Therapeutics, a Valais-based biotech, has secured a US$586.7K (≈$781,000) grant from InnosuisseDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the Swiss innovation promotion agency. The non-dilutive funding will advance preclinical and clinical validation of its topical treatment for oral mucositis, a painful complication of cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
What's the endgame? Founded in 2021 in Conthey, Ibex develops plant-based therapies for oncology and oral diseases. Its lead candidate combines a proprietary extract of Swiss alpine willowherb with Aloe barbadensis , giving it anti-inflammatory, tissue-healing, and antimicrobial properties.
Where the money goes: The grant funds two tracks — clinical development with Geneva University Hospitals, monitoring mucositis in head and neck cancer patients, and preclinical research with HES-SO Valais-Wallis on restoring the oral microbiome. Results could support a new patent filing.
Why now? Oral mucositis affects roughly 33,000 oncology patients in Switzerland and more than 780,000 in Europe each year. With no effective standard treatment, it hinders nutrition and can force clinicians to interrupt cancer care.
In their words: "This funding from Innosuisse marks a turning point for IBEX Therapeutics and it validates our approach after a highly rigorous and competitive evaluation," said Pierre Morgon, chief executive officer and co-founder.
What could go wrong? The grant is validation, not proof of efficacy or commercial readiness. Ibex is still seeking an additional US$733.3K for the next two years before pursuing a worldwide distribution partner.
The signal: Innosuisse funding — which covers up to 70% of direct project costs — remains a key lever for early-stage Swiss biotech, following a comparable US$458.3K award to Release TherapeuticsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → in October. The grant modestly ranks around the 31st percentile by size, underscoring its role in bridging academic research and market entry rather than replacing a venture round.
Read more: bioalps.org
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