CE-Ventures Invests in Oyster Therapeutics as UK Biotech Pursues Breakthrough in Neurodegenerative Disease

The Sharjah-based corporate venture capital platform backs a pharmaceutical innovator developing targeted protein degraders to address the underlying causes of Alzheimer's and related conditions.

The search for meaningful treatments in neurodegenerative disease has long demanded both scientific rigour and investment courage. CE-Ventures, the corporate venture capital platform of Crescent Enterprises based in Sharjah, has now committed $60 million to Oyster Therapeutics, a UK-founded pharmaceutical company pursuing a distinctly novel approach to one of medicine’s most intractable challenges.

Oyster Therapeutics, previously known as Kesmalea Therapeutics, specialises in developing targeted protein degraders that aim to address the abnormal accumulation of tau, a protein whose buildup characterises a family of neurodegenerative diseases known as tauopathies, most notably Alzheimer’s disease. The company’s lead programme represents an oral, brain-penetrant degrader targeting tau, designed to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and reach affected tissue—a formidable technical achievement in pharmaceutical development.

The financing, structured as the company’s Series A round, will enable Oyster to advance its lead tau degrader towards clinical development whilst also progressing its broader SELFTAC platform, a proprietary technology intended to unlock a new generation of medicines for diseases of the central nervous system. Rob Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of Oyster Therapeutics, described the partnership as enabling the company to enter its next phase of growth with institutional backing from a strategically aligned investor with deep roots in the life sciences sector.

CE-Ventures’ commitment reflects a deliberate expansion of its life sciences portfolio, which already spans drug discovery, genetic medicine and targeted therapeutics. The investment marks the company’s entry into the neuroscience space and strengthens its position in the rapidly evolving field of targeted protein degradation. Tushar Singhvi, Deputy CEO and Head of Investments at Crescent Enterprises, characterised the backing as part of a wider strategy to identify differentiated technologies capable of addressing significant unmet medical need, particularly in areas where existing treatments remain limited.

The technical architecture of Oyster’s SELFTAC platform addresses a recognised challenge in targeted protein degradation: the difficulty of combining the efficacy of bifunctional degraders with properties that support both brain penetration and oral bioavailability. These remain among the most demanding criteria in central nervous system drug development. Dr. Damir Illich, Vice President of Life Sciences at CE-Ventures, noted that Oyster’s approach, supported by strong scientific expertise, offers a differentiated pathway in neurodegenerative disease research.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

This investment underscores Abu Dhabi and the wider United Arab Emirates’ growing significance as a capital source for breakthrough healthcare innovation. The backing of Oyster Therapeutics by a Sharjah-based venture platform demonstrates the region’s capacity to identify and fund globally competitive scientific endeavours at the frontiers of pharmaceutical development. The transaction affirms the UAE’s position as a serious player in life sciences venture capital, extending beyond regional interests to support transformative research across the globe.

CE-Ventures’ expansion into neuroscience and targeted protein degradation also reflects the strategic maturity of the emirate’s investment infrastructure. As local venture platforms deepen their sector expertise and deploy capital into sophisticated biotechnology, the UAE continues to attract world-class scientific talent and fosters the conditions necessary for breakthrough pharmaceutical innovation to flourish on an international stage.

Source: WAM, 10 November 2026