Epitopea develops accessible, off-the-shelf RNA-based immunotherapies that target a new class of broadly shared tumor-specific antigens termed Cryptigen™ TSAs. The company discovers Cryptigen™ TSAs using its proprietary CryptoMap™ platform, which leverages immunopeptidomics, genomics and a bioinformatics pipeline to identify aberrantly expressed tumour-specific antigens hidden in cancer’s ‘junk’ DNA. Its Cryptigen™ antigens were first discovered through research led by Drs. Claude Perreault and Pierre Thibault at the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer at the Université de Montréal. Epitopea intends to use the new funding to support strategic development and the clinical entry of its lead Cryptigen immunotherapeutics. Led by CEO Dr. Alan C. Rigby, the company operates sister entities in Cambridge, UK and Montreal, Canada. To date, Epitopea has raised more than USD $45M in financing. Epitopea, based in Cambridge, UK and Montreal, Canada, develops accessible off-the-shelf RNA-based immunotherapies for hard-to-treat cancers. The company focuses on a new class of untapped antigens—CryptigenTM TSAs—identified by its proprietary CryptoMapTM platform, which leverages immunopeptidomics, genomics, and a bioinformatics pipeline. CryptoMap discovers aberrantly-expressed tumor-specific antigens (aeTSAs) hidden within cancer’s 'junk' DNA; these hidden CryptigenTM TSAs were first discovered through research led by Drs. Claude Perreault and Pierre Thibault at the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer at the Université de Montréal. Epitopea is developing both therapeutic vaccines and T cell receptor-based therapies targeting antigens differentially presented by stromal cells. Led by CEO Dr. Alan C. Rigby, the company recently received a £500K non-dilutive grant from Innovate UK’s Cancer Therapeutics programme to support this research. The funding is intended to advance vaccines and TCR-based approaches against antigens that are broadly shared across multiple patients with the same tumor type. Epitopea is a Cambridge, UK and Montreal, Canada‑based biotechnology company developing cancer immunotherapies that target a newly described class of tumour‑specific antigens called Cryptigen™ TSAs. The company discovers these conserved, aberrantly expressed antigens using a proprietary approach combining immunopetidomics, mass spectrometry, genomics, and bioinformatics. Epitopea plans to translate these discoveries into novel cancer immunotherapeutics, including therapeutic vaccines, cell therapies, and TCR‑based biologics. The hidden Cryptigen™ TSAs were identified in research led by Drs. Claude Perreault and Pierre Thibault at the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer at Université de Montréal. Led by CEO Dr. Jon Moore (also an Operating Partner at Advent Life Sciences), the company intends to use new funding to build its executive team and advance further research and translational programs. Financially, Epitopea completed a seed financing to support these R&D and team‑building activities.

Total raised

$45M

Funding rounds

3

Latest round

Series A

Latest activity

Oct 2024