Market brief
European Oncology Therapeutics 2026: Antibodies, ADCs, CAR-T, mRNA, Radiopharma
Oncology is the largest single therapeutic area the directory tracks in 2026, by operator count across categories. The Memel Biotech directory surfaces 70 oncology + cancer-focused operators across 9 countries, spanning every major modality: antibody therapeutics (Genmab, Affimed, Cantargia, Alligator, Affibody, Pure Biologics), antibody-drug conjugates (ADC Therapeutics, Adcendo, Heidelberg Pharma, Tubulis, Cerbios-Pharma, VERAXA), CAR-T + TCR-T cell therapies (T-Knife, Anocca, Elicera, Zelluna, Antion, Cimeio), mRNA cancer programmes (BioNTech), oncolytic viruses (Valo Therapeutics, Elicera), alpha-emitter radiopharmaceuticals (Thor Medical, Oncoinvent), peptide radiopharmaceuticals (3B Pharmaceuticals), small-molecule oncology (Ryvu, Basilea, Molecure, Captor Therapeutics, Apogenix, Faron, Active Biotech, Galecto, STipe), specialty oncology (Oncopeptides multiple myeloma, Hamlet BioPharma, Ascelia oncology imaging), and cancer diagnostics (Hummingbird, Mainz Biomed, Elypta, Biovica, SAGA Diagnostics, Photocure, ARTIDIS, 2cureX, MethylDetect, IDL Diagnostics, Saide). Sweden (16), Germany (14), and Switzerland (12) hold the largest operator counts; the Oslo Cancer Cluster (Norway) coordinates the Norwegian oncology ecosystem. This brief is the cross-modality hub — each modality has its own dedicated brief covered in the directory.
Summary
Key findings
Sweden hosts 16 oncology-focused operators — the highest country count in the directory — anchored by Oncopeptides (multiple myeloma), Cantargia (IL1RAP), Alligator (CD40), Affibody, plus the Lund and Stockholm/Solna therapeutic clusters and the Lund + Solna cancer-diagnostics layer (SAGA, Elypta, IDL).
Germany hosts 14 operators concentrated in Heidelberg + Berlin + Mainz + Munich, with BioNTech mRNA + Heidelberg Pharma ADCs + T-Knife TCR-T + Tubulis ADCs + Hummingbird liquid biopsy + DKFZ research as the anchors.
Switzerland hosts 12 operators across Basel + Lausanne + Geneva + Allschwil with ADC Therapeutics commercial-stage ZYNLONTA, Debiopharm pipeline, Basilea antifungal-plus-oncology, and a clinical-stage cell-therapy layer (Cimeio, Engimmune, Antion).
Norway concentrates the European alpha-emitter oncology cluster (Thor Medical, Oncoinvent, Photocure) plus DNA-vaccine and TCR-NK cell-therapy operators (Nykode, Zelluna), coordinated through the Oslo Cancer Cluster network.
Numbers
Quick numbers
Analysis
Antibody therapeutics + ADCs in European oncology
Antibody-based oncology is the highest European modality operator count the directory surfaces. Commercial + clinical antibody therapeutics include Genmab (Copenhagen, partnered DARZALEX with Janssen + TEPKINLY/EPKINLY with AbbVie), Affimed (Heidelberg/Ladenburg, ROCK innate-immune engagers), Affibody (Solna, protein therapeutics), Alligator Bioscience (Lund, CD40 immuno-oncology), Cantargia (Lund, IL1RAP), Pure Biologics (Wroclaw, antibody + aptamer discovery), Glycotope (Berlin, glycoengineered antibodies), and Light Chain Bioscience (Plan-les-Ouates, bispecific platform). The European ADC layer holds 6 directory operators: ADC Therapeutics (Epalinges, ZYNLONTA / loncastuximab tesirine commercial), Adcendo (Copenhagen, pipeline ADCs), Heidelberg Pharma (amanitin payloads), Tubulis (Munich, P5 toxin platform), VERAXA Biotech (Heidelberg, pipeline antibodies + ADCs), Cerbios-Pharma (Barbengo, ADC + HPAPI CDMO). The European Antibody & Biosimilar Therapeutics 2026 brief covers this layer in depth.
Analysis
CAR-T, TCR-T, CAR-NK cell therapies
European engineered immune-cell oncology runs through 6 directory operators. T-Knife (Berlin) develops TCR-T for solid tumors. Anocca (Södertälje) runs TCR-T cellular immunotherapy with in-house manufacturing. Elicera Therapeutics (Gothenburg) combines CAR-T + oncolytic viruses. Zelluna ASA (Oslo) runs off-the-shelf TCR-NK for solid tumors with MAGE-A4 as lead programme. Antion Biosciences (Geneva) develops allogeneic CAR-T with multiplex miRNA gene-silencing. Cimeio Therapeutics (Basel) runs shielded-cell + immunotherapy pairs for hematologic disorders. Plus Engimmune Therapeutics (Allschwil) for TCR-based cancer immunotherapy. The Cell & Gene Therapy Europe 2026 brief covers the wider CGT layer; the Viral Vector CDMO Europe 2026 brief covers the manufacturing supply chain.
Analysis
mRNA, oncolytic viruses, and DNA-vaccine cancer programmes
European mRNA cancer programmes concentrate at BioNTech (Mainz), which runs mRNA oncology pipeline programmes alongside its commercial-scale infectious-disease vaccine work. Oncolytic-virus + cancer-vaccine programmes run through Valo Therapeutics (Helsinki, oncolytic + vaccine vectors + cancer immunotherapy), Elicera Therapeutics (Gothenburg, CAR-T + oncolytic viruses), and IO Biotech (Copenhagen, immune-modulating cancer vaccines). DNA-vaccine cancer programmes run through Nykode Therapeutics (Oslo, DNA-vaccine immunotherapy platform). Froceth (Vilnius) runs adipose-derived individualised cancer immunotherapy ATMPs. The European mRNA & Immunotherapy 2026 brief covers the mRNA supply chain.
Analysis
Alpha-emitter and peptide radiopharmaceutical oncology
Norway hosts the European alpha-emitter oncology cluster the directory surfaces. Thor Medical ASA (Oslo) runs Radium-224 + Pb-212 production + oncology radionuclide therapy programmes. Oncoinvent ASA (Oslo) runs Radium-224-microsphere clinical programmes for ovarian peritoneal metastases. Photocure (Oslo) runs Hexvix / Cysview for bladder-cancer diagnostics at commercial scale. Berlin adds 3B Pharmaceuticals for peptide-targeted radiopharmaceuticals + companion diagnostics. Diaprost (Lund) runs theranostic antibodies for prostate cancer radioimmunotherapy. The European Radiopharma & Nuclear Medicine 2026 brief covers the wider radiopharma layer + Eckert & Ziegler isotope supply.
Analysis
Small-molecule oncology and discovery-stage operators
Small-molecule and discovery-stage oncology runs across multiple European clusters. Poland concentrates the CEE small-molecule oncology layer with Ryvu Therapeutics (Kraków, in-house oncology pipeline), Molecure (Warsaw, mRNA-target small molecules), Captor Therapeutics (Wroclaw, targeted protein degradation), and Celon Pharma (Łomianki, oncology + CNS therapeutics). Switzerland adds Basilea (Basel, antifungal + oncology), Debiopharm (Lausanne, oncology + rare-disease pipeline), Alentis Therapeutics (Basel, fibrosis + oncology antibodies), and Anaveon (Basel, IL-2 immunotherapy). Germany hosts Apogenix (Berlin/Heidelberg ecosystem, immuno-oncology) and Indivumed Therapeutics (Hamburg, precision oncology). Denmark has Galecto (galectin-3 inhibitor oncology + fibrosis) and STipe Therapeutics (oncology). Sweden adds Active Biotech (oncology + immunology), Hamlet BioPharma (HAMLET complex programmes), Ascelia Pharma (orphan oncology imaging), Asgard Therapeutics (cancer immunotherapy via reprogramming). Finland adds Faron Pharmaceuticals (immune-oncology bexmarilimab CLEVER-1 inhibitor). The Drug Discovery Services 2026 and Polish Biotech Landscape 2026 briefs cover the wider discovery layer.
Analysis
Cancer diagnostics: liquid biopsy, screening, monitoring, AI pathology
European cancer diagnostics is a large vertical adjacent to oncology therapeutics. Liquid biopsy + cancer-monitoring operators include Hummingbird Diagnostics (Heidelberg, miRNA biomarkers), Mainz Biomed (colorectal + pancreatic cancer screening), Elypta (Solna, metabolomics-based cancer detection), Biovica (Uppsala, blood-based cancer-monitoring), SAGA Diagnostics (Lund, tumor-informed liquid biopsy + MRD detection), 2cureX (Copenhagen, functional drug-sensitivity), MethylDetect (Aalborg, DNA methylation reagents), IDL Diagnostics (Stockholm, oncology + tumor-marker IVD), Saide Genomics (Vilnius, NIPT + cancer testing), Antegenes (Tartu, polygenic cancer-prevention diagnostics), Hummingbird Diagnostics (cited above), 4D Lifetec (Cham, 4D-Comet blood test). Photocure (Oslo) covers bladder-cancer diagnostics at commercial scope. ARTIDIS (Basel) runs nanomechanical cancer diagnostics. The European Diagnostics Landscape 2026 brief covers the wider IVD layer.
Analysis
Research institutions, clusters, and the Oslo Cancer Cluster
European oncology research concentrates at three directory-listed institutions: the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ, Heidelberg), the Max Delbrück Center (Berlin-Buch), and the Oslo Cancer Cluster (a Norwegian biotech-research-hospital network coordinating Norwegian oncology operators). DKFZ is the directory’s European cancer-research institution by published scope and operator size. The Oslo Cancer Cluster coordinates a Norwegian ecosystem around its clinical-stage oncology pipeline (Nykode, Zelluna, Thor Medical, Oncoinvent, Photocure). For sponsors looking at academic + translational oncology partnerships, these three institutions concentrate the directory-visible European oncology research base.
Analysis
How to pick a European oncology partner in 2026
Match the decision to the modality + scale + geography. Antibody licensing or partnership: Genmab (Copenhagen) is the directory’s commercial-stage Nordic antibody operator with disclosed multi-billion-dollar partnerships. ADC partnership: ADC Therapeutics (commercial ZYNLONTA), Adcendo, Heidelberg Pharma, Tubulis. CAR-T / TCR-T / CAR-NK partnership: T-Knife, Anocca, Elicera, Zelluna, Antion, Cimeio. mRNA cancer partnership: BioNTech. Alpha-emitter clinical partnership: Thor Medical or Oncoinvent (Oslo). Small-molecule oncology pipeline collaboration: Ryvu, Molecure, Captor, Basilea, Debiopharm, Apogenix. Multiple myeloma specialist: Oncopeptides (Stockholm). Immune-oncology biomarker / liquid biopsy: SAGA Diagnostics, Elypta, Biovica, Hummingbird. ADC + HPAPI CDMO: Cerbios-Pharma (Barbengo, Switzerland). Norway-coordinated oncology programme: Oslo Cancer Cluster. The How to Pick a European Biotech Partner 2026 brief covers cross-modality partner selection.
What to watch
What to watch next
BioNTech mRNA oncology pipeline progression beyond Comirnaty
ADC Therapeutics ZYNLONTA commercial growth + pipeline ADC readouts
Genmab pipeline antibody disclosures + new partnerships
European CAR-T / TCR-T clinical milestones (T-Knife, Anocca, Elicera, Zelluna)
Thor Medical + Oncoinvent alpha-emitter clinical-stage progression
Polish small-molecule oncology pipeline (Ryvu, Molecure, Captor)
EU Biotech Act implementation effect on oncology investment + ATMP manufacturing
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How big is the European oncology biotech sector in 2026?
The Memel Biotech directory surfaces 70 oncology + cancer-focused operators across 9 European countries: Sweden 16, Germany 14, Switzerland 12, Denmark 8, Poland 8, Norway 6, Finland 3, Lithuania 2, Estonia 1. This covers every major oncology modality — antibodies, ADCs, CAR-T/TCR-T, mRNA cancer vaccines, oncolytic viruses, alpha-emitter radiopharma, small molecules, and cancer diagnostics.
Who are the main European ADC (antibody-drug conjugate) operators?
Six directory operators run ADC programmes: ADC Therapeutics (Epalinges, Switzerland) with commercial product ZYNLONTA (loncastuximab tesirine); Adcendo (Copenhagen) with pipeline ADCs; Heidelberg Pharma (Heidelberg) with amanitin-based payloads; Tubulis (Munich) with P5 toxin conjugation platform; VERAXA Biotech (Heidelberg) pipeline; Cerbios-Pharma (Barbengo, Switzerland) for ADC + HPAPI CDMO services. The European Antibody & Biosimilar Therapeutics 2026 brief covers this layer in depth.
Where do I find European CAR-T or TCR-T cell therapy partners?
Six directory operators run engineered immune-cell oncology: T-Knife (Berlin, TCR-T for solid tumors), Anocca (Södertälje, TCR-T with in-house manufacturing), Elicera Therapeutics (Gothenburg, CAR-T + oncolytic viruses), Zelluna ASA (Oslo, off-the-shelf TCR-NK), Antion Biosciences (Geneva, allogeneic CAR-T), Cimeio Therapeutics (Basel, shielded-cell therapy). Engimmune Therapeutics (Allschwil) adds TCR-based cancer immunotherapy. The Cell & Gene Therapy Europe 2026 brief covers the wider CGT layer.
Where is the European alpha-emitter oncology cluster?
Oslo, Norway. Thor Medical ASA runs Radium-224 + Pb-212 production + oncology radionuclide therapy. Oncoinvent ASA runs Radium-224-microsphere clinical programmes for ovarian peritoneal metastases. Photocure runs Hexvix / Cysview for bladder-cancer diagnostics at commercial scope. The Oslo Cancer Cluster coordinates the Norwegian oncology ecosystem. The European Radiopharma & Nuclear Medicine 2026 brief covers the wider radiopharma layer.
Who runs cancer diagnostics + liquid biopsy in Europe?
Roughly 13 directory operators across cancer-diagnostics workflows. Liquid biopsy: SAGA Diagnostics (Lund, tumor-informed MRD), Elypta (Solna, metabolomics), Biovica (Uppsala, blood-based monitoring), Hummingbird Diagnostics (Heidelberg, miRNA), Mainz Biomed (colorectal + pancreatic screening). Functional + reagent diagnostics: 2cureX (Copenhagen), MethylDetect (Aalborg). National + commercial: Photocure (Oslo bladder cancer), IDL Diagnostics (Stockholm), 4D Lifetec (Cham), ARTIDIS (Basel nanomechanical), Antegenes (Tartu polygenic risk), Saide Genomics (Vilnius cancer testing). The European Diagnostics Landscape 2026 brief covers the full diagnostics layer.
Methodology note
Sources and interpretation
Sources: verified Memel Biotech directory entries for every oncology operator, official company disclosures, and editorial cross-reference against the European Antibody & Biosimilar Therapeutics 2026, Cell & Gene Therapy Europe 2026, European mRNA & Immunotherapy 2026, European Radiopharma & Nuclear Medicine 2026, European Diagnostics Landscape 2026, and Polish + Swiss + Nordic + Baltic + German Landscape briefs. The directory entry for each operator links to the authoritative company sources.
Disclaimer
Use limits
This brief is an editorial cross-modality map of visible European oncology activity in 2026. It does not rank operators, certify specific clinical or regulatory status beyond public disclosures, or replace direct diligence — sponsors should verify directly with each operator before engagement.
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