NEWS 114 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE August 2025 A Swiss biotechnology company developing precision drugs against eukaryotic pathogens, Astra Therapeutics AG announced the closing of a CHF 7.75 million seed financing round. The funding will accelerate the company’s mission to transform parasitic disease treatment in animal health through the development of novel, host-sparing therapeutics. The round was led by MIG Capital AG, a German venture capital firm, with a CHF 3 million investment through MIG Fonds 17 and 18. US-based Digitalis Ventures co-led the round with CHF 3 million, with additional support from Borealis Ventures, Kickfund, and Venture Kick. Founded in 2022 by co-CEOs Dr. Natacha Gaillard and Dr. Ashwani Sharma, Astra Therapeutics highlights its cutting edge ParaX® platform as being based on over a decade of research by the founders into the structural differences in tubulin – a protein fundamental to cell division. This scientific foundation enables the company to design Parabulins®, a new class of drugs that selectively inhibit parasite-specific tubulin while preserving host cells. Natacha Gaillard, PhD, Founder and Co-CEO of Astra Therapeutics, said: “The animal health market is facing an ever-increasing need for novel anti-parasite drugs to combat the growing threat of drug resistance, ensure the health and welfare of our pets, and maintain healthy and efficient food production.” Read more>> Astra Therapeutics raises CHF 7.75M for animal health innovation Shutterstock | Robert Gerhardt Proteon Pharmaceuticals’ bacteriophage-based feed additive BAFASAL® received full regulatory approval from the European Union for use in poultry. This decision has now been formally adopted and published in the Official Journal of the European Union, and the new regulation entered into force on 15 July, 2025. Highlighting this groundbreaking step for the European poultry sector, the company states that the decision is paving the way for broader use of feed additives based on phage technology in everyday farming practice. Bacteriophages, as natural viruses specifically targeting harmful bacteria, represent a safe, precise, and innovative alternative to traditional methods of combating bacterial threats in animal production. As antibiotic resistance grows, phage technology is gaining renewed attention as a precise and sustainable solution in livestock production. The authorisation of BAFASAL® in the European Union followed a rigorous, multi-phase regulatory process under Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003, which governs the approval of feed additives. Proteon Pharmaceuticals reveals it submitted a comprehensive dossier to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), providing extensive data on the product’s safety, efficacy, and manufacturing quality. EFSA’s Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) conducted a thorough scientific assessment, concluding that BAFASAL® is safe for all poultry species, consumers, and the environment. Read more>> EU greenlights Proteon’s bacteriophage-based additive Photo: Proteon Pharmaceuticals
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