Participated · Series B · Jan 2023

Neophore develops small-molecule drugs that target novel proteins across the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway to generate immuno-oncology therapeutics. Its MMR inhibitors induce neoantigen expression and increase immunogenicity in solid tumours, making them more sensitive to immunotherapy. The company is building a pipeline of small molecules aimed at improving clinical outcomes for cancer patients. Neophore plans to use the recent funding to explore novel biology associated with the MMR pathway, progress its pre-clinical studies, and deliver a candidate drug in 2025. The company is led by CEO Dr Matthew Baker. Neophore was spun out of the University of Turin and PhoreMost Ltd by the CRT Pioneer Fund and is based in Cambridge, UK. NeoPhore is focused on discovering and developing novel small molecule therapies to treat cancer by stimulating the immune system. Its approach targets the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway to promote neoantigen generation and subsequent immunity against tumors. The company was spun out of the University of Turin and PhoreMost Ltd by the CRT Pioneer Fund and is led by CEO Dr Matthew Baker. NeoPhore raised an additional £9.6M in a Series B extension, bringing the Series B total to £31.1M. The company intends to use the funds to further advance its drug discovery pipeline and deliver a candidate drug for its lead PMS2 program by early 2025. Research collaborations with academic institutions remain in place to support its development plans. NeoPhore develops novel small-molecule therapies to treat cancer by stimulating the immune system. Its lead approach targets the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway to promote neoantigen creation and enhance tumour immunogenicity. The company is advancing an expanding pipeline across multiple biological targets and modalities with plans to reach IND-enabling studies in 2024. NeoPhore has research collaborations with St George’s, University of London and a three-year agreement with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to validate its proprietary MMR inhibitor compounds. In January 2022 the company achieved all investment-related scientific milestones significantly ahead of schedule. The recent financing will be used to progress the pipeline toward clinical enabling studies. NeoPhore focuses on the discovery and development of novel, first-in-class small molecule drugs that inhibit the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway to promote neoantigen creation and anti-tumour immunity. The company leverages scientific findings from the University of Turin and works closely with its scientific founder Dr Alberto Bardelli and advisor Dr Luis Diaz. NeoPhore was spun out of the University of Turin and PhoreMost Ltd by the CRT Pioneer Fund. Leadership includes Dr Robert James (Chairman) and Dr Matthew Baker (Chief Executive Officer). The company intends to use its latest financing to advance its drug discovery pipeline. Its core product strategy is to generate next-generation immuno-oncology therapeutics to improve clinical outcomes for cancer patients. NeoPhore Ltd is a spin-out of PhoreMost Ltd focused on discovering and developing novel small-molecule therapies to treat cancer by stimulating the immune system. Its approach targets genetic mechanisms to directly stimulate neoantigen creation and increase antigen diversity across multiple cancers. NeoPhore aims to boost cancer immunity in patients with immunologically “cold” tumors and to improve responses in patients already eligible for cancer immunotherapy. The company uses insights from clinical and laboratory studies that suggest these genetic mechanisms will promote neoantigen creation and diversity. NeoPhore plans to use proceeds from a recent £3m financing to advance discoveries already made by PhoreMost and its collaborators.

Participated · Series B · Nov 2019

Azeria Therapeutics is a Cambridge, UK-based drug discovery company founded in 2017. It is a pioneer factor oncology company developing treatments for hormone resistant breast cancer patients, based on the work of Professor Jason Carroll at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute. The company is developing programmes that target FOXA1, an essential pioneer factor shown to be pivotal in tumour growth, progression and maintenance of oestrogen receptor positive luminal breast cancer. Extensive target validation and drug discovery work to date supports its lead program. Azeria plans to take the lead program into the clinic over the course of the Series B funding and to develop the program toward commercialization while exploring a pipeline of further oncology programmes. The company is led by CEO Stephen Myatt and recently completed a Series B financing to support these plans. Azeria Therapeutics is a spinout from Sixth Element Capital and Cancer Research UK’s commercial partnerships team that uses a proprietary drug screening platform to develop a pipeline of small molecules. The company is focused on selectively inhibiting pioneer transcription factors, initially targeting FOXA1, which is implicated in ER-positive luminal breast cancer and thought to be critical in prostate cancer. Its scientific work is based on discoveries from Dr Jason Carroll’s lab at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute. Leadership includes CEO Stephen Myatt (also a partner at Sixth Element Capital) and founder/CSO Dr Jason Carroll. Azeria plans to continue preclinical development of its molecules aimed at hormone-resistant breast and prostate cancers. The company raised funding to advance its discovery programs and further validate its screening-derived candidates. Financially, Azeria completed a £4M Series A to support these activities.

Led · Equity · Jun 2018

AdoRx Therapeutics is an Edinburgh-based drug discovery company focused on identifying new cancer therapies through modulation of the adenosine pathway. Founded in 2017 and led by CEO Pete Finan, the company’s lead programs are the design of adenosine receptor antagonists to overcome the immunosuppressive effects of high adenosine levels in the tumour microenvironment. The team includes Dr Clive McCarthy and Dr Roy Pettipher and collectively has discovered and transitioned more than twenty-five investigational drugs into clinical development. AdoRx raised $10m in initial funding to advance its discovery programs. The company will use the proceeds to continue to develop its candidate molecules. The narrative emphasizes drug-discovery efforts against adenosine-mediated immune evasion in cancer.

Led · Series A · Jan 2017

Macrophage Pharma is an immuno-oncology R&D company based in Windsor, England, focused on macrophage modulation in the tumour microenvironment. The company is advancing its ESM™ technology platform to deliver small-molecule drugs selectively to macrophages. Its lead program is a macrophage-targeting p38 MAPK inhibitor with clinical trials scheduled to start in 2018. The financing will enable completion of the first clinical study of that lead candidate and the advancement of two additional discovery candidates into preclinical development. Macrophage Pharma also plans to add a fourth macrophage-targeted project to its pipeline. Macrophage Pharma, based in Windsor, UK, focuses on discovery and development of therapies designed to enhance anti-tumour immune responses by targeting tumour-associated macrophages. The company acquired global rights to the Esterase Sensitive Motif (ESM) platform from Chroma Therapeutics, a technology that delivers small-molecule drugs selectively to tumour-associated macrophages. Its lead program is a novel macrophage-targeting p38 MAPK inhibitor with clinical trials scheduled to start in 2018, and the company also has additional discovery-stage proprietary programmes. Macrophage plans to use the funds to complete preclinical development of its lead p38 MAPK inhibitor and to advance two additional discovery candidates into preclinical development. The ESM platform is described as enabling next-generation immunotherapies across multiple cancers by activating the body’s natural immune system to fight tumours. The company is led by interim chair Ian Miscampbell and is advancing both its drug candidates and the newly acquired platform toward clinical development.

Participated · Series A · Sep 2016

Artios Pharma is pioneering next-generation oncology medicines that exploit DNA damage response (DDR) mechanisms to selectively destroy hard-to-treat tumors. Its lead asset, the ATR inhibitor alnodesertib, has produced durable responses across eight solid tumor types, particularly in ATM-deficient cancers where no approved therapies currently exist. The company’s second clinical candidate, ART6043, is a DNA Polymerase θ inhibitor intended for BRCA-mutant, HER2-negative breast cancer patients eligible for PARP inhibitors, while additional pre-clinical programs include DDRi-antibody drug conjugates. Proceeds from the latest financing will broaden Phase 2 studies of alnodesertib in second-line pancreatic and third-line colorectal cancers—indications recently granted FDA Fast Track status—and will fund a randomized Phase 2 trial of ART6043. Management, led by newly appointed CEO Mike Andriole, believes these efforts will accelerate both assets toward registration. Following the $115 million Series D, the company is well-capitalized to advance its pipeline and transition toward commercial readiness.