PROTEODESIGN SL

Their core work

PROTEODESIGN SL is a Barcelona-based biotech SME specializing in the design of therapeutic proteins, peptides, and antibodies for oncology applications. Their core work involves engineering molecules — peptides, proteins, and antibodies — that can direct the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. They progressed from broad-spectrum peptide design targeting both tumors and pathogenic bacteria (INPACT) to leading their own research program focused on personalized neoantigen cancer vaccines that harness both innate and adaptive immune responses (SPLITVAC). As a small company operating within MSCA-funded research networks, they function as a specialized molecular design partner capable of both contributing to and coordinating EU collaborative research.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their earliest H2020 work (INPACT, 2015–2019), PROTEODESIGN operated in a broader peptide space that combined oncology and antimicrobial applications — a dual-purpose focus typical of early-stage biotech exploring which markets to commit to. By 2019, with SPLITVAC, they had made a clear strategic choice: all keywords point exclusively to cancer — neoantigen vaccines, immune modulators, cell therapy, cancer patients, therapeutic anti-tumour activity. The antimicrobial thread disappears entirely, replaced by the more specialized and commercially valuable immuno-oncology space. The trajectory is a deliberate narrowing toward personalized cancer immunotherapy, which is among the fastest-growing areas of oncology drug development.

PROTEODESIGN is moving deeper into personalized cancer immunotherapy — specifically neoantigen targeting and immune modulation — which positions them as a potential partner for immuno-oncology consortia, clinical translation projects, and biotech companies developing next-generation cancer treatments.

How they like to work

PROTEODESIGN has operated in both coordinator and partner roles across their two projects, suggesting they are comfortable taking scientific or project leadership rather than simply filling a supporting slot. As an SME within MSCA schemes, they join relatively compact networks (9 partners across 5 countries) focused on researcher mobility and knowledge exchange rather than large industrial pilots. This profile suggests they work best as a focused specialist contributor or scientific lead within a small, high-expertise consortium rather than as a large consortium manager.

PROTEODESIGN has built a small but internationally diverse network of 9 partners spanning 5 countries through their two MSCA projects, indicating connections across European biomedical research institutions. Their MSCA-RISE participation in particular suggests established research exchange relationships with academic and industry partners outside Spain.

What sets them apart

PROTEODESIGN occupies a specific niche as a small private company that can both execute specialized molecular design work and lead EU-funded research projects in cancer immunotherapy — a combination that is rarer than either capability alone. As a Barcelona SME, they bring the agility and focus of a startup to complex oncology problems typically dominated by larger pharma or academic groups. Their coordination of SPLITVAC demonstrates they can manage a multi-partner EU project, making them a credible consortium lead for future Horizon calls in immuno-oncology or cancer vaccine development.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SPLITVAC
  Coordinated by PROTEODESIGN, this project targets one of the most competitive and commercially significant areas of oncology — personalized neoantigen cancer vaccines — and represents their highest-funded and most focused work to date.
• INPACT
  An early MSCA-RISE project that reveals the company's roots in broad-spectrum peptide design targeting both cancer and drug-resistant bacteria, providing insight into their foundational molecular engineering capabilities.