Bellicum develops cell-based therapies that incorporate CaspaCIDe (a self-destruct switch) or DeCIDe (an activation switch) to enable control over therapeutic cells via the small-molecule AP1903. The company is advancing clinical programs in stem cell transplant to reduce or eliminate graft‑versus‑host disease and in oncology, including BPX‑501 for leukemia/lymphoma and programs targeting prostate, blood and solid tumor cancers. Its pipeline also includes CAR T cell and DeCIDe cancer vaccine programs, and a product discovery group working on controlled expansion and activation of CAR T cells, TCRs and TILs. The company states the switches are intended to improve safety and efficacy and to expand adoptive cell therapy into new indications. Financially, Bellicum completed an oversubscribed Series C and has raised a total of $107 million since inception. Bellicum Pharmaceuticals develops cellular immunotherapies for cancer and other serious diseases. Led by CEO Tom Farrell and based in Houston, the company is advancing two lead clinical programs: cellular transplants aimed at reducing or eliminating graft-versus-host disease and a more potent immunotherapy for prostate cancer. The company secured an additional $14.7M in Series B financing, bringing the Series B to $34.4M. Investors in the round included current backers AVG Ventures and Remeditex Ventures. Bellicum intends to use the funds to expand clinical development of its lead cellular immunotherapy product candidates. No operating metrics were disclosed in the article. Bellicum Pharmaceuticals develops clinical applications of chemical induction of dimerization (CID), a drug-based remote control technology that allows in vivo activation or elimination of engineered cells. Its lead programs are CaspaCIDe (a safety switch for T cell therapies) and DeCIDe (a therapeutic cancer vaccine platform), including BPX-101 for metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer, which uses dendritic cells activated by the proprietary drug AP1903. The company planned multiple clinical studies in 2012, including a Phase 2 DeCIDe vaccine study and a Phase 1/2 CaspaCIDe T cell infusion trial in allogeneic HSCT to address graft-versus-host disease. Bellicum intends to use new funding to advance both programs through Phase 2 development. The company is led by CEO Tom Farrell and is based in Houston, TX. Bellicum Pharmaceuticals develops therapeutic vaccines and immunotherapeutic approaches targeting cancer and chronic infectious diseases. Its lead product, BP-GMAX-CD1, is being tested in an ongoing Phase I/IIa trial in patients with advanced, androgen independent prostate cancer. The company plans to use the new funding to complete the Phase I/IIa study and to prepare for Phase IIb trials. The recent financing consisted of Series A and convertible note instruments totaling $4.5M. These funds bring Bellicum’s total capital raised to date to $8.5M. Prior funding contributors cited include $1.45M from the Texas Emerging Technology Fund, $6.8M from angel investors, and additional seed capital from founders.

Total raised

$94M

Funding rounds

5

Latest round

Series C

Latest activity

Aug 2014