MabVax is focused on developing vaccine and antibody-based therapies to address unmet needs in cancer treatment. Its lead program, HuMab 5B1, is being developed as both a diagnostic and therapeutic targeting pancreatic and colon cancer. The company reports a pipeline of dozens of novel antibody leads from its discovery platform. MabVax has licensing relationships with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Juno Therapeutics. The San Diego–based firm said the recent financing will fund initiation of Phase 1 human clinical trials for HuMab 5B1 later in the year and support additional preclinical research programs. The deal also brought endorsement from billionaire investor Dr. Phillip Frost and OPKO Health. MabVax Therapeutics is a San Diego-based biotechnology company developing vaccine-based treatments for cancer. The company is developing a pancreatic cancer treatment that the newly awarded NIH grant will help fund. The award is a $1.75 million grant from the National Institutes of Health as part of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Technology Program. Founded in March 2008, MabVax has raised $12 million in venture funding and $6 million in NIH funding to date, according to CEO David Hansen. The company is a small private firm focused on translating cancer vaccines into clinical programs. MabVax Therapeutics is a San Diego-based clinical-stage biotechnology company developing proprietary immunotherapies. Its lead programs include a phase 2 vaccine aimed at preventing recurrent sarcoma and a 5B1 antibody program targeting metastatic pancreatic cancer. Derivatives of the 5B1 antibody are being developed as a radiolabeled imaging agent to improve diagnosis, staging, and treatment assessment of pancreatic cancer. The company plans to begin GMP manufacturing of the 5B1 antibody early in 2013 and intends to enter phase 1 clinical trials in 2014. MabVax recently closed the first tranche of a $5.25M Series B financing, which it will use to continue development and manufacturing activities. Existing investors Burrill Capital Fund IV and RTP Venture Fund participated in the tranche.

Total raised

$19M

Funding rounds

3

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Apr 2015