Press Release – Lille, June 19th, 2025

StarkAge Therapeutics Awarded Winner of the 2024 I-Nov Innovation Competition Organized by Bpifrance under the France 2030 Initiative (Vague 14)

StarkAge Therapeutics, an innovative biotechnology company focused on therapies selectively targeting senescent cells, proudly announces its selection as a winner of the prestigious 2024 I-Nov Innovation Competition, operated by Bpifrance within the framework of the France 2030 initiative.

This prestigious recognition includes strategic funding exceeding €850,000 for the SETH project. This ambitious project aims to develop a groundbreaking anticancer therapy using Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) designed to selectively eliminate both tumor cells and senescent cells associated with cancers.

Thanks to this significant support, StarkAge Therapeutics will accelerate crucial preclinical activities, notably:

• The development of an optimized ADC combining a humanized anti-DPP4 monoclonal antibody with the cytotoxic compound Exatecan, incorporating a hydrophilic linker that markedly improves efficacy and tolerability.
• Comprehensive therapeutic efficacy evaluation of its candidate drug STX-1 in various cancer models, including organoids and Patient-Derived Xenografts (PDX) expressing DPP4 protein with radiotherapy-induced senescent cells.
• In-depth analysis of pharmacokinetic and toxicological profiles in advanced preclinical models.

This award confirms not only the scientific validity of StarkAge Therapeutics’ therapeutic strategy but also underscores its major industrial potential, significantly strengthening investor confidence as the company prepares for its upcoming fundraising round.

« We are deeply honored by this prestigious recognition, which highlights our expertise and commitment to developing innovative therapies targeting cancer and age-related pathologies linked to cellular senescence. This substantial support will significantly accelerate our preclinical research, clearly paving the way towards clinical trials«  stated Thierry Mathieu, Founder and Chairman of StarkAge Therapeutics.

StarkAge Therapeutics expresses special thanks to its scientific partners for their valuable collaboration: MImAbs, Biotem, Clinaxel, CER Group, and Icosa, and extends sincere gratitude to Bpifrance, the Secrétariat Général pour l’Investissement, and Bruno Bonnell for their renewed trust and support.