Pionyr Immunotherapeutics is a San Francisco, CA–based biotech developing antibody therapeutics that increase antitumor immunity by rebalancing the myeloid infiltrate in the tumor microenvironment. The company exploits novel target-discovery and antibody-generation platform technologies to create immuno-oncology therapeutics intended for use after checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T. Its initial approach, called “Myeloid Tuning,” is designed to enhance the immune system’s anti-tumor response by altering the cellular infiltrate of tumors with high specificity. Pionyr has several preclinical antibody programs, two of which are nearing IND-enabling studies targeting solid tumors. The company was co-founded by Max Krummel, Ph.D., and Sachdev Sidhu, Ph.D., and is led by president and CEO Steven James with Michel Streuli, Ph.D., as senior vice president of research. Financially, Pionyr recently closed a $62M Series B, bringing total funding to $72M. Pionyr Immunotherapeutics develops antibody-based cancer immunotherapies using its Myeloid Tuning platform to alter the tumor microenvironment in favor of immune-activating cells over immune-suppressing cells. The company positions this approach as a third generation of immuno-oncology after checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T, aiming to improve responses particularly in combination with checkpoint inhibitors. Pionyr intends to choose development candidates and advance them to IND in the near term. Its platform leverages novel target discovery and antibody-generation technologies to target new antigen mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment. The company was founded in 2015 and is based in San Francisco. Leadership includes co-founders Max Krummel and Sachdev Sidhu and industry veterans such as Steven James and Michel Streuli. Financially, Pionyr has raised nearly $10 million to date following the latest financing.

Total raised

$70M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Series B

Latest activity

Dec 2017