Date: 2018-07-06
Type of information: Financing round
Company: Oncologie (USA - MA - China)
Investors: Nan Fung Life Sciences (China) Pivotal bioVenture Partners China Fund (China) China Merchant Bank Investments (China) Volcanics Ventures (China)
Amount: $16.5 million
Funding type: seed financing round
Planned used:
- Oncologie is an innovative biopharmaceutical company committed to developing impactful cancer therapies to improve long-term survival of cancer patients worldwide. Building a pipeline of First and Best-in-Class clinical stage drug candidates through licensing and partnering, Oncologie is leveraging the recent regulatory changes in China to conduct parallel clinical development in China and the US to bring the next wave of Immuno-Oncology products to the two most important markets simultaneously.
- The current pipeline is focused on mid-stage clinical programs that modify the immune system to enhance efficacy of current standards of care and emerging immunotherapy agents.
- Bavituximab is an investigational immune-modulatory monoclonal antibody that blocks activation by phosphatidylserine of TAM and TIM receptors on immune cells. Phosphatidylserine induces immunological non-responsiveness and reduces the ability of immune cells to recognize and fight tumors. Oncologie acquired this antibody from Avid Bioservices in February 2018.
- Lefitolimod is an immunomodulator and toll-like receptor 9 (TLR-9) agonist. It is a small, covalently closed DNA molecule that is taken up by dendritic cells and other immune cells mimicking bacterial or viral infection and activating TLR-9. Consequent production of pro-inflammatory cytokines jump-starts innate and adaptive immune responses and anti-tumor activity. Oncologie signed an agreement with Mologen in February 2018 regarding lefitolimod. Under the agreement, Oncologie has the exclusive license to develop, manufacture & commercialize lefitolomid in China, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Macao. In addition, Oncologie and Mologen AG will co-develop the compound globally.
Others:
- • On June 7, 2018, Oncologie, an innovative biopharmaceutical company, announced that it is launching operations in both Boston and Shanghai with $16.5M seed financing led by Pivotal bioVenture Partners China. The round was led by Pivotal bioVenture Partners China Fund and joined by Nan Fung Life Sciences, China Merchant Bank Investments and Volcanics Ventures.
Therapeutic area: Cancer - Oncology
Is general: Yes
