Avenue Biosciences – Accelerating the development of protein therapeutics with AI
Avenue Biosciences’ machine-learning powered platform enhances the development and manufacturing of biological protein therapeutics. Biologics are increasingly used as new treatments for serious diseases such as cancer and rare genetic diseases.
Why?
Protein-based biologics form the backbone of modern medicine. They are widely used, for example, in cancer therapies and vaccines. However, their development has become increasingly complex, slow, and costly. Biologics are medicines that are produced in living cells and must be engineered to function with extreme precision inside the human body to combat disease. Challenges in manufacturing limit the availability of these medicines and slow down the emergence of new treatment options.
In the production of protein therapeutics, the secretory pathway has long been a “black box” in drug development. Avenue Biosciences is developing a solution to this challenge based on foundational research conducted at the University of Helsinki. The company is advancing understanding of the least understood stage of protein drug manufacturing. When the secretory pathway inside cells functions more efficiently, protein therapeutics can be produced with higher quality, greater speed, and lower cost.
What and how?
Avenue Biosciences has developed a machine-learning–based platform that optimizes protein production by analyzing signal peptides, which are short sequences that direct proteins to the cell’s secretory pathway. By combining laboratory research with machine learning, the technology can simultaneously analyze more than 5,500 signal peptides to identify the most effective combination for a therapeutic protein candidate.
Using Avenue Biosciences’ platform, pharmaceutical companies can develop and manufacture difficult-to-express protein therapeutics – such as biological cancer drugs and next-generation vaccines – faster and more efficiently than before. The platform also enables more cost-effective production of more affordable versions of existing therapies, called biosimilars, improving patient access. The technology has demonstrated up to a 500% improvement in protein production. The method enables pharmaceutical companies to develop biologic drugs that were previously too difficult or expensive to manufacture.
Growth and internationalisation
From its inception, Avenue Biosciences has been founded as an international, transatlantic growth company operating on two continents. Its headquarters and commercial entity are located in Silicon Valley, United States, while product development, laboratory operations, and intellectual property management are based in Finland.
The company’s technology has been validated and advanced at the University of Helsinki to the point where, soon after emerging from stealth in 2024, it already achieved first commercial pilot projects. With growth funding, Avenue Biosciences is expanding its production capacity and initiating large-scale commercial operations.
The importance of venture capital
In January 2026, Avenue Biosciences raised EUR 4.9 million in a funding round co-led by Tesi and Balnord. Other participants included the University of Helsinki and existing investors Voima Ventures, Inventure, and Dimerent. Across two funding rounds, the company has raised a total of EUR 7.4 million.
From Tesi’s perspective, health and life sciences is a strategically important sector for Finland. Its growth requires both a strong scientific foundation and long-term capital combined with skilled ownership. Avenue Biosciences represents exactly the type of expertise on which new international technology companies can be built in Finland.
General information
Founded in 2023, Avenue Biosciences is a spin-off growth company originating from biotechnology research at the University of Helsinki. Its founders include (pictured above) Tero-Pekka Alastalo (CEO), Katja Rosti (COO), and the company’s academic founder, Ville Paavilainen, who led the underlying research at the University of Helsinki.
The company began operational activities in autumn 2024 following its first funding round. Avenue Biosciences is the world’s first biotechnology company having focus on improving the efficiency of the secretory pathway through signal peptides in the development of protein-based medicines.
Accelerating the development of protein therapeutics with AI
“Tesi is a world-class player, and their involvement gives us significant credibility and support. It is fantastic to have a respected investor like Tesi backing our story from the very beginning.”
- Tero-Pekka Alastalo, CEO, Avenue Biosciences
