Participated · Series B · Oct 2019

Cyteir Therapeutics is a clinical-stage oncology company developing next-generation synthetic lethal therapies that target DNA damage response pathways. Its lead program is CYT-0851, an oral once-daily first-in-class small-molecule inhibitor of RAD51-mediated DNA repair, currently in the dose-escalation portion of a Phase 1/2 monotherapy trial enrolling approximately 200 patients with solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. Preclinical and early clinical data support CYT-0851’s potential to selectively target B-cell malignancies such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma and various solid tumors, and to combine with therapies that induce DNA damage, including PARP inhibitors and chemotherapy. The company plans to advance CYT-0851 into phase 2 monotherapy trials, initiate combination studies, and pursue IND-enabling studies for a second-generation RAD51 inhibitor (CYT-1853) and an additional undisclosed compound targeted to solid tumors. Cyteir is also developing a companion diagnostic to identify tumors that overexpress certain cytidine deaminases and has received an FDA investigational device exemption to begin evaluating that assay in patients. Financially, the company closed an $80 million Series C and has now raised over $140 million to support its pipeline and R&D. Cyteir Therapeutics focuses on discovery and development of next-generation synthetic lethal therapies that exploit DNA repair pathways to selectively kill cancer cells. Its lead compound is CYT-0851, a RAD51 inhibitor, discovered using the company’s gain-of-function synthetic lethality screening platform. The company plans to use new funding to expand the clinical investigation of CYT-0851 and to identify additional targets through its screening technology. Cyteir describes itself as an innovator in DNA repair, pursuing therapies that pair DNA-damaging gene gain-of-function with DNA repair inhibition. Markus Renschler, M.D., serves as president and CEO. Financially, the company recently closed an additional tranche of Series B financing to advance its programs. Cyteir focuses on discovering and developing small-molecule therapeutics that exploit DNA repair biology and synthetic lethality. Its lead program targets selective inhibitors of the protein RAD51 for oncology applications. The company is also advancing preclinical programs aimed at synthetic lethality approaches for autoimmune diseases. Cyteir says its AID gain-of-function targeting strategy may offer broader applicability, reduced side effects, and simpler companion diagnostics for patient selection. Leadership includes newly appointed president and CEO Markus Renschler, M.D., and co-founder and CSO Kevin Mills, Ph.D. The company is based in Cambridge, Mass. Cyteir Therapeutics develops therapeutics that modulate DNA repair proteins, focusing on RAD51 modulation in AID-positive cells to induce selective cancer cell death. The company is advancing a novel RAD51 modulator as its lead program and is exploring applications in cancer and autoimmune diseases. Cyteir received a $2M, two-year Phase II STTR grant from the National Cancer Institute (NIH) to support continued preclinical development. Under the STTR, Cyteir will partner with The Jackson Laboratory for in vivo testing and Eastern Maine Medical Center to obtain human tissue samples. The Phase II grant aims to move lead candidates to the IND-enabling stage by completing pre-GLP pharmacology and toxicology studies and demonstrating efficacy and durability in preclinical models. A Phase I STTR awarded in 2014 supported feasibility work that identified the company’s lead RAD51-targeting compounds; the company is led by President and CEO Donald F. Corcoran and co-founder/CSO Dr. Kevin Mills. Cyteir Therapeutics is a research-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on exploiting DNA repair and genomic instability to develop targeted therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases. The company advanced discoveries from JAX Associate Professor Kevin Mills and holds an exclusive license to key technologies and patents from The Jackson Laboratory. Cyteir will use proceeds from its Series A to accelerate its lead program, enhance and diversify its screening platform, and build its drug pipeline. Leadership was strengthened with the appointment of Donald F. Corcoran as President and CEO, who joined the board. The company was founded by Kevin Mills together with Tim Romberger and JAX Chairman Emeritus David Shaw and is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. No operating metrics or revenue figures were disclosed in the article.

Participated · Series B · Sep 2019

Anokion SA is a clinical-stage Swiss biotechnology company focused on restoring normal immune tolerance to treat autoimmune diseases. Its lead candidate, KAN-101, is an investigational therapy designed to induce tolerance to gliadin via natural liver pathways for celiac disease and has received FDA Fast Track designation. Data from the Phase 1 ACeD study presented at DDW 2022 showed KAN-101 was safe and tolerated, reduced T cell responses following gluten challenge, and demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition of gluten-induced serum IL-2. Based on those findings, Anokion is preparing to initiate patient dosing in a Phase 2 clinical trial in the second half of 2022. The company also pursues earlier-stage programs targeting multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes using its immune-based platform. The release references operations in Lausanne, Switzerland (and cites Cambridge, Mass. in the announcement header). Anokion focuses on treating autoimmune diseases by restoring normal immune tolerance using an immune-based platform that targets natural pathways in the liver. Its lead product, ANK-780, is an antigen-specific treatment for multiple sclerosis. The company acquired Kanyos Bio, adding KAN-101, an antigen-specific treatment for celiac disease that is in late preclinical development with an IND expected by the end of 2019. Anokion anticipates having two programs in clinical development within the next 12 months. The company has an existing collaboration with Celgene to develop immune-modulating programs for autoimmune diseases. Anokion operates from Cambridge, Mass. and Lausanne, Switzerland and has strengthened its management team and board following the transactions. Anokion advances an antigen-specific immune tolerance platform to develop therapeutics for multiple autoimmune indications and to reduce the immunogenicity of therapeutic proteins. Its lead approaches include engineering antigens to bind glycophorin A on erythrocytes so that apoptotic red blood cells elicit a tolerogenic immune response, and a liver-targeted tolerance strategy that attaches engineered antigens to liver cells. The platform is described as translatable to virtually any protein across numerous clinical indications. The company announced an exclusive global research collaboration with Celgene that included a $45 million upfront payment and eligibility for an additional $10 million tied to preclinical milestones. Celgene also obtained an equity interest and an exclusive right to acquire Anokion at pre-specified option exercise points, while Anokion retains full control of its R&D during the option period. Anokion is a spin-off from EPFL and lists Versant Ventures, Novo Ventures, Novartis Venture Fund and a group of individual investors among its backers. Anokion develops a technology to retrain white blood cells to induce therapeutic immune tolerance, aiming to reduce the immunogenicity of therapeutic proteins and to treat autoimmune and allergic diseases. The company has demonstrated efficacy by creating a tolerogenic form of asparaginase, a protein drug used to treat a form of leukemia. Anokion is an exclusive licensee of EPFL’s patent filings covering the technology. It was founded as a spin-off from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) by Jeff Hubbell. The company closed a CHF33m (approximately $37.5m) Series A to advance clinical candidates in immune-masked protein therapeutics, autoimmune and allergic indications, with first clinical trials planned for 2017. Following the financing, senior representatives from the lead investors joined the board and Jens Kurth joined the management team as Chief Technology Officer.

Led · Equity · Aug 2019

Immatics, based near Munich, develops T-cell receptor (TCR) therapies and a variety of oncology product candidates, including bispecific antibodies. Its core approach uses in-house technology to generate TCRs that can recognize intracellular tumor proteins rather than cell-surface antigens targeted by CAR-Ts. TCRs can be HLA-matched, which limits use to patients with specific genetic profiles. Under a recently announced deal, Immatics will advance TCR candidates through lead-candidate validation before potential handoff. Financially, the company received a $75 million investment from Celgene as part of that partnership. No TCRs have regulatory approval today, and Immatics is positioning its pipeline toward solid-tumor indications. Immatics is a Tuebingen, Germany-based cancer immunotherapy company developing T-cell–based therapies. Its core products are adoptive cell therapies, including IMA101 (an ACTolog® endogenous T-cell therapy) and IMA201 (an ACTengine® approach using transduced exogenous T-cell receptors). The company is also developing a pipeline of bispecific TCR candidates aimed at redirecting and activating T-cell responses against tumor-specific targets. Immatics uses its XPRESIDENT® technology to identify and validate novel tumor targets for cancer immunotherapy. Led by Chairman Peter Chambré, the company is advancing multiple candidates in clinical trials and plans to continue development efforts. It recently closed a $58m Series E financing to fund those advancement efforts, with backing from dievini Hopp Biotech holding, Wellington Partners, AT Impf GmbH and Amgen. immatics biotechnologies is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing advanced immunotherapies active against cancer. Its lead product, IMA901, is in a pivotal phase 3 study in patients with renal cell carcinoma after completing a randomized phase 2 trial. The pipeline also includes IMA910, which has reported survival data in patients with advanced colorectal cancer, and IMA950, which completed a phase 1 study in patients with glioma. The company will use the recent funding to complete the current phase 3 trial with IMA901. immatics is led by CEO Paul Higham and employs approximately 80 people. The company is based in Tuebingen and Martinsried (Munich), Germany. immatics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing advanced multi-peptide cancer vaccines. Its lead candidate, IMA901, comprises 10 tumor-associated peptides (TUMAPs) found to be highly over-expressed in the majority of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients and is in a pivotal phase 3 trial. IMA901 holds orphan drug designation in the US and Europe for treatment of RCC in HLA-A*02 positive patients. The company raised the first €12m tranche of a planned €34m Series D to conclude development of IMA901 and complete activities necessary to prepare for regulatory filings in the US and Europe. Interim overall survival results are expected in 2014, with final data in 2015. immatics is led by CEO Paul Higham, is based in Tuebingen and Martinsried (Munich), Germany, and employs 70 people. immatics biotechnologies is a biopharmaceutical company based in Tuebingen and Munich, Germany, developing advanced therapeutic vaccines active against cancer. Its lead product, IMA901, is a rationally designed cancer vaccine comprised of 10 different tumor-associated peptides (TUMAPs) frequently over‑expressed in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). immatics plans to perform a Phase III pivotal trial of IMA901 after data that demonstrated potential overall survival benefit in patients with advanced RCC. The company is also continuing clinical development of IMA910, which is currently being evaluated in a Phase II clinical study. immatics’ pipeline has been developed using its XPRESIDENT™ technology. The new funds will be used to advance the existing pipeline. To date the company has raised more than €100m (approximately US$130m).

Participated · Series B · Aug 2019

Oncorus develops next-generation oncolytic virus therapies built on a proprietary oncolytic herpes simplex virus (oHSV) platform and a synthetic oncolytic virus platform. Its lead candidate, ONCR-177, is an intratumorally administered oHSV clinical candidate armed with multiple transgenes and designed to be fully replication-competent while selectively attenuated in normal tissues. The company is also advancing a synthetic platform and novel delivery methodology intended to enable repeat intravenous (systemic) administration for indications where intratumoral dosing is not feasible, such as lung cancer. Oncorus plans to use proceeds from its recently completed financing to advance ONCR-177 into the clinic in early 2020 and to progress its portfolio for systemic administration. The company emphasizes proprietary safety strategies including micro-RNA attenuation and inactivation of neuronal retrograde transport to prevent replication in healthy tissues. Oncorus is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. Oncorus is a Cambridge, MA–based immuno-oncology company focused on an oncolytic herpes simplex virus (oHSV) platform. Its lead candidate is in preclinical development for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The company plans to advance oncolytic viral constructs through preclinical development and into clinical trials, expand and improve its technology platform, and accelerate development of pipeline programs across other cancer types. Management is led by CEO and CSO Mitchell H. Finer, Ph.D., and President and CBO Cyrus D. Mozayeni, M.D. Oncorus licensed patent rights from the University of Pittsburgh based on work by Joseph Glorioso III, Ph.D., and Paola Grandi, who will join its Scientific Advisory Board. Proceeds from the Series A financing are being used to advance its immunotherapy platform and support R&D and pipeline progression.

Led · Equity · Aug 2019

Cleave Therapeutics is advancing therapies that target valosin-containing protein (VCP/p97) to modulate protein homeostasis and stress pathways in cancer and neurodegeneration. Its lead candidate, CB-5339, is a potent, oral, selective, second‑generation VCP/p97 inhibitor described as IND‑ready and designed to address exposure and selectivity limitations of earlier compounds. The company is initiating a Phase 1 clinical study in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The National Cancer Institute plans to sponsor a Phase 1 trial of CB-5339 in solid tumors in collaboration with Cleave. Cleave announced the closing of a $12 million equity financing to advance CB-5339 through early clinical development. The company also announced executive appointments including Amy Burroughs as CEO, Scott Harris as COO, and Laura Shawver as board chair. Cleave Biosciences develops drugs that target protein homeostasis, with a lead program CB-5083—an oral inhibitor of p97—aimed at treating a range of solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. CB-5083 is being evaluated in two Phase 1 trials: CLC-101 for patients with solid tumors and CLC-102 for patients with lymphoid hematologic malignancies including multiple myeloma. The program has received Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. FDA for multiple myeloma. The company intends to use the Series B proceeds to advance clinical development of CB-5083 and to support discovery efforts around its AAA ATPase platform. Laura Shawver, Ph.D., serves as CEO and the company is based in Burlingame, California. Cleave Biosciences discovers small-molecule drugs that modulate protein degradation pathways, with a lead program targeting p97, a central player in the ubiquitin–proteasome and autophagy systems. The company is led by CEO Laura Shawver, Ph.D. Cleave plans to use new capital to move its lead program into clinical trials and to advance a second discovery program. Financially, the company has been funded through venture rounds and this financing increased its Series A to $54M. In 2011 Cleave raised $44M from investors including US Venture Partners, 5AM Ventures, Clarus Ventures, OrbiMed Advisors, Astellas Venture Management and Osage University Partners. The recent financing also added New Enterprise Associates as an investor and included a board appointment. Cleave Biosciences is a newly established biopharmaceutical company based in Burlingame, California, focused on discovering and developing novel cancer therapies directed at protein homeostasis. Its current programs are small-molecule discovery and development efforts that are undergoing lead identification and optimization. The company plans to use the Series A proceeds to support multiple discovery and development programs in this area. Cleave was co-founded by Raymond Deshaies, Seth Cohen and Francesco Parlati. Its management team includes CEO Laura Shawver and President and CSO Mark Rolfe. In conjunction with the financing, several investors and company leadership will join the board.