Bio‑Sourcing and Zerion Pharma A/S  announce that their joint project to develop an oral formulation of Trastuzumab, the pioneer monoclonal antibody used to treat breast cancer, has been awarded funding under EUREKA Eurostars. This is Bio‑Sourcing’s second Eurostars success, and together with Zerion’s breakthrough Dispersome^® technology, it will support the development of an oral formulation of an anti‑HER2 antibody for the treatment of HER2‑positive breast cancer.

The program brings together Bio‑Sourcing’s disruptive BioMilk™ platform — which leverages natural milk components to protect and transport biologics through the gastrointestinal tract and has already been used to produce TrastuzOral™ and Zerion’s solid oral‑dosage capabilities using its protein‑based Dispersome technology. Over 36 months, the consortium will optimize an orally deliverable trastuzumab biobetter produced in goat milk and progress it through preclinical validation, with the ambition to prepare for entry into Phase I clinical studies around 2030. The total project budget is €1.3 million, with Bio‑Sourcing as lead and Zerion as partner.

An effective oral therapy for HER2 breast cancer has the potential to move care beyond infusion centers, improving patient convenience and adherence while reducing pressure on healthcare resources. The differentiated oral route offers a compelling value proposition in a mature trastuzumab market and creates a platform opportunity to expand oral delivery to other biologics. With the global trastuzumab market estimated at USD 4.1 billion by 2030, an orally delivered formulation offers clear differentiation and the potential to both capture a significant share of this demand as well as increasing overall market size.  
 
Bertrand Mérot, CEO of Bio‑Sourcing: “We are delighted and very proud of Eurostars' confirmation of the relevance of our unique strategy for oral administration of monoclonal antibodies. I am confident that our partnership with Zerion will further accelerate the development and commercialization of this disruptive formulation for breast cancer. Bio-Sourcing is thus continuing its strategy of developing oral administration of monoclonal antibodies, which has already led to the production of OralimuMab™ and TrastuzOral™ in a synergistic partnership with Zerion to further enhance this paradigm shift. The development of this breakthrough in the systemic oral administration of monoclonal antibodies will not only greatly improve patient comfort but also increase access to these innovative treatments, thereby significantly expanding the biopharmaceutical markets.”

Ole Wiborg, CEO of Zerion Pharma A/S: "We are excited and very pleased to obtain this Eurostars grant together with Bio-Sourcing. I believe that our joint project holds a significant promise for improving the treatment of breast cancer patients and will further open up a plethora of additional opportunities for switching injectables to orally administered drugs. This blue stamping from EUREKA is also another recognition of our Dispersome technology and our excellent team of scientists that has relentlessly transformed great academic science into a commercially successful technology. I am grateful for that."

Eurostars forms part of the Horizon Europe framework and supports innovative SMEs and project partners — including universities and research organizations — through funding for international collaborative R&D and innovation projects. It is managed by EUREKA, an intergovernmental network covering 37 countries.