Participated · Equity · Nov 2021

Shoreline Biosciences is developing intelligently designed, off-the-shelf induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived NK and macrophage cellular immunotherapies. The company focuses on standardized, targeted cell products including next-generation, more persistent iPSC-derived NK cells and macrophage-cell therapies. Shoreline is advancing proprietary iPSC differentiation methods, genetic reprogramming of disease-relevant pathways, and plans to create NK-specific CARs, switchable CAR-NK engagers, and macrophage-specific CARs. It targets both hematologic malignancies and solid tumors and has established strategic partnerships with Kite (a Gilead Company) and BeiGene. Shoreline also reports contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) partnerships to support manufacturing. The company is headquartered in San Diego, CA and is well-capitalized to continue pipeline advancement. Shoreline Biosciences is developing intelligently designed allogeneic, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) and macrophage cellular immunotherapies derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). The company focuses on standardized and targeted NK- and macrophage-based cell therapies for cancer and other serious diseases. It plans to use new funding to accelerate advancement of its proprietary iPSC platform and next-generation NK and macrophage cell therapy programs. Research efforts supported by the financing include work to create potent and persistent NK cell-specific chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), switchable CAR-NK cell engagers, and macrophage-specific CARs. Shoreline has entered a strategic relationship with the Advanced Cell Therapy Laboratory of UC San Diego to secure GMP manufacturing of its cell therapy products. The company was co-founded by Dan Kaufman, M.D., Ph.D., along with Steven Holtzman, William Sandborn, M.D., and Kleanthis G. Xanthopoulos, Ph.D.

Participated · Series A · Jun 2021

Strand Therapeutics is developing programmable mRNA-based therapeutics that combine self-replicating and circular RNA modalities with genetically programmed logic circuits to enable precise, controlled payload delivery. Its platform is designed to localize and durably express therapeutic payloads, including IL-12, to reprogram the tumor microenvironment and stimulate systemic anti-tumor immunity. The lead program, STX-001, is a self-replicating mRNA encoding IL-12 that is in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial (IND cleared December 2023) and presented early human data at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting showing multiple RECIST responses, complete responses, prolonged disease stabilization, and a favorable safety profile. Strand also presented preclinical data for STX-003, a first-in-class systemically administrable, tumor-targeting mRNA therapy programmed to avoid off-target delivery including liver avoidance, at AACR and ASGCT. The company emphasizes a computational design engine and modular platform intended to expand into immuno-oncology, cell therapy, autoimmune diseases, and other indications, and to enable partnerships and licensing opportunities. Strand Therapeutics engineers programmable, long-acting mRNA therapeutics delivered in nanoparticles to control the location, timing, intensity, and duration of protein expression in patients. Its platform programs genetic logic circuits so mRNA senses microRNA signatures and restricts expression to target cells, aiming for improved efficacy and safety versus first-generation mRNA. The company is developing a pipeline of multifunctional mRNA candidates, including a lead programmable mRNA therapy for solid tumor immuno-oncology. Strand plans to advance that lead candidate into Phase 1 clinical trials next year and to further develop a systemic delivery mechanism to target tumor sites and immune cells. The company will expand its biology, bioengineering, bioinformatics, manufacturing, automation, and G&A teams to support clinical and delivery development. Strand is headquartered in Boston and has announced a Series A financing totaling $97 million to support these efforts. Strand Therapeutics develops programmable, long-acting self-replicating mRNA therapeutics designed to enable precise control of location, timing, intensity, and duration of therapeutic activity. Its platform combines self-replicating mRNAs with genetically programmed logic circuits that sense and classify cell-type expression signatures to deliver multi-functional treatments in a single mRNA drug. The company’s initial focus is cancer immunotherapy, with plans to begin clinical trials of its first candidate in 2022 and ambitions to address solid tumors and hematological malignancies. Strand is also developing programmable mRNA for generation of cell therapies intended to be re-doseable and off-the-shelf to expand patient access. The company has a licensing collaboration with BeiGene to develop and commercialize its multi-functional mRNA technology for solid tumor immuno-oncology. Financially, Strand announced an oversubscribed $52M Series A and has raised $66M in total to date. Strand Therapeutics is an early-stage biotechnology company building programmable, “smart” mRNA therapeutics using synthetic biology innovations developed at MIT. The company says it created a bespoke programming language to enable mRNA therapies that can make sophisticated decisions and dynamically respond to their microenvironment. Scientific co-founders include MIT professors Ron Weiss and Darrell J. Irvine; operational co-founders are Jacob Becraft (CEO) and Tasuku Kitada (President). Strand is initially targeting immuno-oncology and plans to extend into other disease indications as the platform matures. The company will use its latest financing to hire at its Cambridge, Massachusetts headquarters, grow its pipeline of engineered gene therapies, and further develop its synthetic biology platform. Strand is a resident company of Johnson & Johnson Innovation, JLABS.

Participated · Series A · Mar 2021

BITT develops a novel class of antagonist monoclonal antibodies against TNF superfamily receptors using its DOMab™ platform. Its lead candidate, BIR2101, targets TNFR2 and is currently in a Phase I clinical trial. The company is advancing a CD40 antagonist program and plans to file an IND related to that program in 2025. BITT announced a sponsored research and exclusivity agreement with MSRD (part of the Otsuka family) to finance key non-human primate studies for the CD40 program. It was also awarded a $4M grant from the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute to support the ongoing TNFR2 trial. BITT is developing additional antibodies against TNF superfamily receptors for indications in oncology, inflammation, autoimmunity, and infectious disease. Boston Immune Technologies and Therapeutics (BITT) develops antagonist antibodies targeting TNF superfamily receptors, with a lead monoclonal antibody BIR2101 that targets TNFR2. BITT is exploring BIR2101 as monotherapy and in combination with checkpoint blockade, citing preclinical murine models where TNFR2 plus PD‑1 improved cure rates. The company is developing additional discovery-stage TNF superfamily antagonist antibodies, including CD40 antagonists for inflammation and CD30 antagonists for oncology. BITT completed a $10M Series A/A1 preferred stock financing to support clinical development of BIR2101 and other pipeline candidates. The financing, together with an option and license arrangement with BeiGene, aims to enable an IND filing for BIR2101 by the end of 2021 and proof-of-concept studies for additional targets. BITT is based in Boston, MA, and added Lusong Luo of BeiGene and Joseph McMahon to its board.