Theolytics Secures €8 Million Horizon Europe Grant for Ovarian Cancer Research

It has been awarded an €8 million grant from the European Union’s program to support the development of a new therapeutic approach.

The funding will help advance research into Theolytics’ viral immunotherapy platform, which uses engineered viruses designed to selectively target and destroy cancer cells while stimulating the body’s immune system to recognize and attack tumors.

Advancing Viral Immunotherapy

Theolytics is developing therapies based on oncolytic viruses—viruses that are modified to infect and kill cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. These therapies can also trigger immune responses that help the body fight cancer more effectively.

The Horizon Europe grant will support preclinical and early clinical research aimed at demonstrating the safety and potential effectiveness of this approach for treating ovarian cancer.

Addressing a Major Unmet Need

Ovarian cancer remains one of the most challenging gynecological cancers to treat, often because the disease is diagnosed at later stages when treatment options are limited. Researchers are increasingly exploring immunotherapy‑based approaches that could improve outcomes for patients.

The funding will enable Theolytics and its collaborators to further develop their viral platform and generate new data that could support future clinical trials.

European Support for Cancer Innovation:

It launched Horizon Europe to support scientific research and innovation across the EU, with a strong focus on addressing major health challenges, including cancer.

By backing early‑stage biotech research, the program aims to accelerate the development of novel treatments and strengthen Europe’s life sciences ecosystem.

If successful, the project could contribute to the growing field of immunotherapy-based cancer treatments and potentially open new avenues for treating ovarian cancer patients.