Mariana Oncology, a Novartis Company, Announces $50M Expansion of Radioligand Therapy R&D Facilities
Investment doubles footprint in Watertown, Massachusetts; enhances radioligand therapy research and development capabilities
Watertown, Mass., June 20, 2025 – Mariana Oncology, a wholly owned subsidiary of Novartis focused on discovering and advancing next-generation radioligand therapies (RLTs), today announced plans for a $50M investment to expand its facilities in Watertown, MA. Encompassing approximately 30,000 square feet of new laboratory and office space, the expansion nearly doubles Mariana’s current footprint and will strengthen R&D capabilities to accelerate breakthroughs and deliver next-generation RLTs.
“Today’s announcement represents a significant milestone in the mission of Mariana and Novartis to innovate and deliver transformative new medicines for patients living with cancer,” said Fred Zecri, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer and Site Head for Mariana Oncology. “Expanding our radioligand therapy R&D capabilities positions us to further strengthen our pipeline and early-stage clinical programs and accelerate the development of promising new medicines."
“As a leader in the field, Novartis is committed to pioneering radioligand therapy science and accelerating the advancement of new treatments that have the potential to help patients with difficult-to-treat cancers,” said Shiva Malek, PhD, Global Head of Oncology for Novartis Biomedical Research. “This expansion will greatly enhance the capabilities of the Mariana team, complementing global efforts across Novartis to build on our deep expertise with RLTs and bring forward next-generation options for patients.”
Mariana Oncology serves as a primary research and drug discovery hub and is a key driver of RLT R&D activities for Novartis. The expansion further bolsters the commitment by Novartis to invest in and expand its overall US-based manufacturing and R&D footprint. Mariana has built a robust portfolio of discovery and clinical RLT programs across a range of solid tumor indications, including lung, breast, and prostate.
About Radioligand Therapy
Radioligand therapy is a form of precision medicine that combines a tumor-targeting molecule (ligand) with a therapeutic radioisotope (a radioactive particle). RLTs bind to specific receptors highly expressed on the surface of certain types of tumors. Once bound to a target cell, emissions from the therapeutic radioisotope cause DNA damage that can inhibit cell growth and replication and potentially trigger cell death. This targeted approach enables the delivery of radiation to the tumor, while limiting damage to the surrounding cells.
Disclaimer
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "may," "could," "would," "expect," "anticipate," "look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding plans to expand our radioligand therapy R&D capabilities, or regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products resulting from the R&D efforts described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that any investigational or approved products resulting from the R&D efforts described in this media update will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures and requirements for increased pricing transparency; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political, economic and business conditions, including the effects of and efforts to mitigate pandemic diseases; safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this media update as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
About Mariana Oncology
Mariana Oncology, a Novartis company, is pioneering the development of precision radioligand therapies (RLTs) with the goal of changing how cancer is treated. With its novel approach and proprietary innovations in manufacturing and product formulation, the company designs its next-generation radioligand therapies to selectively deliver radioisotopes to diseased cells while minimizing impact on healthy tissue. The company’s pipeline of precision therapies is focused on compelling cancer targets with the potential for broad patient impact. In partnership with its colleagues at Novartis, Mariana Oncology aims to develop precision cancer therapies for a better treatment journey, striving to optimize efficacy while allowing patients to live better during their treatment.
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