Cymirafen is a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) from the University of California that targets leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein coupled receptor 4 (LGR4)/LGR5/LGR6 and is composed of a potent cytotoxic payload, monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), plus an Fc domain fused to the receptor binding domain of RSPO1.
German company Tubulis GmbH, which emerged with a $12.3 million series A round and a next-generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) platform about six years ago, has commanded up to $5 billion in a buyout offer from Gilead Sciences Inc.
Ernexa Therapeutics Inc. is advancing its lead program, ERNA-101, toward an IND submission in the third quarter of this year and the initiation of a first-in-human trial in the fourth quarter for the treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.
Overt Bio Inc. is advancing lead asset OVT-101 toward the clinic. The allogeneic, potential first-in-class, off-the-shelf γδ CAR T therapy targets claudin-6, which is present in the majority of ovarian cancers and several other solid tumors.
Zelluna ASA has received approvals from the U.K.’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and research ethics committee for its clinical trial application (CTA) for ZI-MA4-1, Zelluna’s lead T-cell receptor-based natural killer (TCR-NK) product candidate.
Third Arc Bio Inc. has closed a $52 million series A extension to advance its pipeline of multifunctional antibodies for a range of oncology and immunology & inflammation (I&I) indications.
Ovarian cancer is a highly lethal gynecological malignancy with limited therapeutic options for recurrent and drug-resistant disease. Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) promotes tumor cell proliferation, migration and invasion by regulating multiple oncogenic signaling pathways. Although SIRT2 has emerged as a promising therapeutic target, conventional inhibitors often result in incomplete and transient suppression of its activity.
Erasca Inc. priced an upsized public offering to raise $225 million to fund development of its therapies for patients with RAS/MAPK pathway-driven cancers.
Ervimmune SAS has announced the first closing of its series A financing with €17 million ($19.8 million) raised to advance ErVac-01, Ervimmune’s lead candidate, into the clinic and through a first-in-human trial.