Date: 2016-03-08
Type of information: Series B financing round
Company: Tizona Therapeutics (USA - CA)
Investors: Abingworth (UK) Canaan Partners (USA - CA - Israel) Lightstone Ventures (USA - CA) MPM Capital (USA - MA) Amgen Ventures (USA - CA) Astellas Venture Management (USA - CA) InterWest Partners InterWest Partners
Amount: $43 Million
Funding type: series B financing round
Planned used: Tizona Therapeutics is a privately held immunology company harnessing the power of the immune system to develop treatments for cancer and autoimmune disorders. Tizona’s therapies are designed to regulate suppressive cells, thereby either activating the body’s ability to fight cancer or preventing the immune system from attacking healthy tissues in autoimmune diseases. Proceeds will be used to advance the company’s immunotherapy programs. Tizona’s lead drug candidate, an anti-CCR4 monoclonal antibody, is expected to enter the clinic in 2017. In addition to the anti-CCR4 antibody program, proceeds from the financing will be used to advance Tizona’s pipeline, including the company’s IL-35 programs. IL-35 is an immunosuppressive cytokine, predominantly expressed by Tregs. It is involved in suppression of anti-tumor immunity through its modulation of effector T cells, as well as myeloid cells. Blocking IL-35’s activity may reverse immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment and lead to a robust and effective anti-tumor immune response. Given IL-35’s potent suppressive properties, targeting this pathway also holds significant promise as a potential first-in-class treatment for autoimmune diseases.
Others: * On March 8, 2016, Tizona Therapeutics a privately held immunology company harnessing the power of the immune system to develop treatments for cancer and autoimmune diseases, announced the closing of a $43 million Series B financing. To date, the company has raised more than $70 million through its Series A and B financing rounds to fund its diversified pipeline. The Series B financing was co-led by Abingworth and Canaan Partners with investments from Lightstone Ventures and existing Series A investors, including MPM Capital, Amgen Ventures, Astellas Venture Management and InterWest Partners. As part of the financing, Shelley Chu, M.D., Ph.D., Partner of Abingworth, Nina Kjellson, Partner of Canaan Partners, and Jean George, General Partner of Lightstone Ventures, have joined Tizona’s Board of Directors.
Therapeutic area: Autoimmune diseases - Cancer - Oncology
