Awen Oncology secures significant new funds to advance pioneering cancer therapeutics
April 23, 2026 – Clinical Trials, Drug Discovery, Other, Pharmaceutical – Awen Oncology, drug discovery, funding, oncology
23 April 2026 — Anglesey, UK — Awen Oncology, a pioneering Wales-based therapeutics company developing next-generation cancer treatments, has secured funds from a number of sources, worth seven figures, which will allow it to accelerate its research programme and support future growth.
The funding round has been led by biotech investor Dr. Urs Spitz, alongside additional funding mechanisms. The investment will create additional high value jobs and enable the company to progress key scientific milestones to advancing a primary therapeutic programme closer to the clinic.
Based on collaborative research originating from Bangor University and Cardiff University, Awen Oncology was founded by Dr. Ramsay McFarlane, Dr. Jane Wakeman and Professor Andrea Brancale, a globally recognised leader in computational medicinal chemistry. The company is focused on developing innovative therapeutics with the potential to transform cancer treatment.
As part of the investment, Dr. Spitz will join the company board, bringing extensive international experience in building and scaling biotechnology businesses. His involvement is expected to play a crucial role in guiding the company through its next phase of growth and positioning it for future investment and clinical entry.
The funding will support the creation of PhD-level scientific positions, strengthening Wales’ growing life sciences sector and supporting the development of high-value local jobs.
The scientific discoveries underpinning the company’s formation are rooted in academic research supported by organisations led by Cancer Research Wales, a leading supporter of fundamental research in Wales, reducing suffering for cancer patients and their families in Wales.
Dr. Ramsay McFarlane, CEO and co-founder of Awen Oncology, said: “Securing this new investment marks a very important step forward for Awen Oncology as we continue to develop our therapeutic pipelines. The funding allows us to achieve critical scientific milestones, while also strengthening our team with highly skilled talent here in Wales. Importantly, this is about more than just scientific progress. The therapies we are developing have the potential to make a real difference to patients. Our lead programme is targeting a rare form of bone cancer, where there is a significant unmet clinical need, with potential applications across more common cancers. Ultimately, our goal is to bring forward treatments that can improve — and potentially save — lives.”
Urs Spitz, biotech investor and new board member, added: “Awen Oncology represents a compelling opportunity at the intersection of cutting-edge science and meaningful patient impact. The team has built a strong scientific foundation, and I look forward to supporting the team as it advances towards its next stage of development. This investment reflects both the quality of the innovation emerging from Wales and the global potential of the company’s therapeutic approach.”
Dr. Lee Campbell, head of research at Cancer Research Wales, said: “As the Welsh cancer research charity and a leading funder of cancer research here in Wales, we are proud to have been the catalyst for this important research in North Wales – a journey that began over 15 years ago. It is pleasing to see Welsh cancer research make its mark with the potential to offer real word solutions for cancer patients everywhere.”
About Awen Oncology
Awen Oncology is a Wales-based biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of innovative cancer therapeutics. The company is a spin-out from Bangor University and Cardiff University, founded by Dr. Ramsay McFarlane, Dr. Jane Wakeman and Professor Andrea Brancale. Headquartered at M-SParc on Anglesey, Awen Oncology is part of Wales’ growing life sciences sector, combining academic excellence with commercial ambition. Its work centres on developing first-in-class therapies that target cancer-specific biological mechanisms, with the aim of improving treatment outcomes while reducing side effects. The company’s approach integrates advanced computational chemistry, drug discovery expertise and biological research to identify and develop new therapeutic candidates. Its pipeline includes programmes targeting rare cancers with significant unmet clinical need, alongside potential applications in more common cancer types. Awen Oncology builds on early-stage academic research supported by organisations including Cancer Research Wales and continues to work towards advancing its therapies through pre-clinical development, with the long-term goal of delivering new treatments to patients globally. The Development Bank of Wales made a pre-seed £500,000 investment in Awen Oncology in 2024, in partnership with a £250,000 investment from the Start Codon accelerator programme, which supported the early stages of the company’s growth. Additional early-stage support came from a Welsh Government capital investment and an Innovate UK award of £491,000 under its Future Economies Investor Partnerships scheme, the first to be awarded in Wales. Visit: awenoncology.com
