The Venture Codex

Participated · Series A · Jun 2020

Artiva is an oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company building primary allogeneic NK cell therapies optimized for anti-tumor activity and safety. Its platform supports large-scale production and cryopreservation of off-the-shelf NK cell therapies and includes proprietary CAR-NK and NK-specific gene-editing technologies. The pipeline includes AB-101, an ADCC-enhancer NK-cell therapy in a Phase 1/2 trial in combination with rituximab for relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphomas. Its CAR-NK programs include AB-201 (HER2-specific for HER2+ solid tumors) and AB-202 (CD19-specific for B-cell malignancies), with plans to enter clinical trials in 2022 under a master license and option agreement with GC LabCell. Artiva has entered therapeutic collaborations or license agreements with Merck and Affimed and leverages cell-expansion and engineering technology developed by corporate partner GC LabCell. The company is headquartered in San Diego and emphasizes a "manufacturing first" strategy to deliver immediately accessible cell therapies. Artiva is an oncology company focused on developing and commercializing allogeneic, off-the-shelf NK cell and CAR-NK therapies. Its initial pipeline includes AB-101 (a universal NK cell therapy intended for use with monoclonal antibodies), AB-201 (a HER2-specific CAR-NK for HER2+ solid tumors), and AB-202 (a CD19-specific CAR-NK for CD19+ B-cell malignancies). The company emphasizes large-scale production and effective cryopreservation to enable high and repeat dosing, and it leverages a manufacturing and engineering platform optimized for expansion, activation, engineering, and NK-specific gene editing. Artiva has exclusive ex-Asia-Pacific license agreements with GC LabCell covering core manufacturing and CAR technology and an option to license additional research candidates under a Joint Steering Committee. The company plans to enter the clinic this year with AB-101 in combination with an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody to treat relapsed refractory B-cell lymphoma. Artiva is headquartered in San Diego and will use its new financing to advance its universal NK cell and CAR-NK product candidates.

Participated · Series B · Jun 2018

WindMIL Therapeutics is a clinical-stage company developing Marrow-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (MILs™) as cancer immunotherapies. The company's founders, Ivan Borrello, M.D., and Kim Noonan, Ph.D., developed a rapid process to extract, activate and expand bone marrow–derived memory T cells to create MILs™. WindMIL's lead program is in a Phase 2 multi-center randomized investigator-sponsored trial in high-risk multiple myeloma, and the company plans to begin clinical trials in solid tumors. Preclinical data indicate MILs™ may serve as a superior cell source for next-generation CAR-T therapies, and WindMIL is exploring proprietary gene modifications to counteract immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments. WindMIL recently completed a $32.5 million Series B financing led by Qiming Venture Partners USA to support development of both unmodified and genetically modified MILs™. The financing also involved new investors Medivate Partners and Camden Partners Nexus, with participation from existing investors Domain Associates and FOXKISER.

Led · Equity · Mar 2016

Sillajen is a Seoul-based global oncolytic immunotherapeutic company developing Pexa-Vec (JX-594). Its lead product, Pexa-Vec, is an oncolytic virus that has demonstrated intravenous delivery to tumors and induction of cancer-targeting antibodies. Pexa-Vec is currently in a multinational Phase III clinical development program across the US, Europe and Asia. The company raised $12M from Medivate Partners to complete the ongoing Phase III study. As part of the investment, Paul Kim, CEO & Managing Partner of Medivate Partners, will join Sillajen's board of directors. Sillajen plans to pursue an initial public offering on the Korean stock market by the end of 2016.