NeoPhore Limited, a Cambridge, UK-based small molecule neoantigen immuno-oncology company, closed a £15.2m (US $21m) Series B funding round.
The round was led by Claris Ventures with participation from 2Invest, 3B Future Health Fund and Astellas Venture Management alongside founding investor the CRT Pioneer Fund. In conjunction with the Series B financing, Pietro Puglisi from Claris Ventures, Heikki Lanckriet from 2Invest and Marianne Bjordal from 3B Future Health Fund, will join the Board of NeoPhore as Directors.
Led by Dr Robert James, Chairman, and Dr Matthew Baker, Chief Executive Officer, NeoPhore is focused on the discovery and development of novel first-in-class small molecule drugs targeting the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway to treat cancer. The company’s approach targets the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway, which has been proven to promote neoantigen creation and subsequent immunity against numerous cancers. Using these insights, NeoPhore aims to generate next-generation immuno-oncology therapeutics to improve clinical outcomes for cancer patients.
Spun-out of the University of Turin and PhoreMost Ltd by the CRT Pioneer Fund, the company will work closely with its scientific founder Dr Alberto Bardelli from the University of Turin where the original scientific discovery originated and Dr Luis Diaz (Memorial Sloan Kettering and SAB member) to exploit the concept that inhibition of MMR in tumours generates neoantigens that the patients’ own immune system can target with an anti-tumour response.
NeoPhore intends to use the funds to advance its drug discovery pipeline.
FinSMEs
09/03/2021