Latest News

ImCheck Therapeutics SAS raises €48m

ICT01 is an activating mAb targeting the extracellular domain of BTN3A that leads to activation and trafficking of γ9δ2 T cells out of the circulation. ICT01 has been shown to promote an anti-tumor immune response against a range of cancers in in vitro and in mouse tumor models. In primates, ICT01 rapidly occupies its target and specifically activates γ9δ2 T cells with a good safety profile that supports clinical testing. © ImCheck Therapeutics SAS


by tg

T cell agonist specialist ImCheck Therapeutics will use €48m (US$53m) from a Series B financing to push clincial pipeline of antibodies activating gamma-delta T-cells.

The €48m financing was co-led by Pfizer Ventures, the venture capital arm of Pfizer Inc., and Bpifrance, with the new investors Wellington Partners, Agent Capital and Alexandria Venture Investments participating. Life Sciences Partners (LSP), Gimv, Idinvest Partners, Kurma Partners and Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, who contributed to the €20m Series A round two years ago, confirmed thier committment with a sigificant contribution to the raise.

ImCheck Therapeutics announced the proceeds will be used to finance clinical testing of ImCheck’s lead monoclonal antibody ICT01 starting in H1/2020. The antibody, which targets BTN3A (CD277) on T and NK cells, is overexpressed by breast cancer, gastric, ovarian cancer cells and other solid solid tumours and in patients with AML and other blood cancers. BTN3A is essential for the activation of γ9δ2 T cells in response to the intracellular accumulation of phosphoantigens (pAgs), a set of small organic pyrophosphates produced both by hot (inflamed) tumour cells and cells that are stressed by inflammation, i.e. by autoimmune diseases.

The company said, it also intends to expand its pipeline of immunomodulators targeting the butyrophilins super-family and to bring additional immuno-oncology antibody programs into the clinic. According to Pierre d’Epenoux, Chief Executive Officer at ImCheck Therapeutics, a part of the proceeds will be used to "establish clinical operations and corporate development activities in the US.”

Upon the financing Michael Baran from Pfizer Ventures, Thibaut Roulon from Bpifrance, Regina Hodits from Wellington, Rémi Droller from Kurma, Vincent Brichard from LSP, Bram Vanparys from Gimv joined ImCheck’s Board of Directors chaired by Debasish Roychowdhury. The new investors said they believe in the company’s approach to activate gammadelta T cells in order to treat cancers and autoimmune diseases.

ImCheck benefits from support from Prof. Daniel Olive (INSERM, CNRS, Institut Paoli Calmettes, Aix-Marseille Université), a worldwide leader in gd T cells and butyrophilins research.

Mobidiag’s COVID-19 test okayed for emergency use

Mobidiag Ltd.’s Amplidiag® COVID-19 PCR test will double Finnish testing capacity and allowing testing coverage for most of the country. The...

BioGeneration Ventures closes BGV IV Fund at €105m

Investors into the oversubscribed BVG IV gathered existing actors — such as Bristol Myers Squibb, the European Investment Fund, and Schroder Adveq —...

Novo Holdings invests into AI CRO ExScientia

While new investor Novo Holdings led the round, existing investors Evotec SE, Bristol Myers Squibb and GT Healthcare Capital also participated....

Vaccine to protect from any viral infection

In contrast to all current vaccination approaches against SARS-Co-V-2, the approach of Mirror Biologics Inc., the US subsidiary of Jerusalem-based...

British scientists start Phase II on COVID-19 vaccine

The study sponsored by AstraZeneca plc is the third pivotal test of a COVID-19 vaccine that expresses SARS-CoV-2 antigens directly in human cells or...

Making opoids more effective pain killers

The m-opioid receptor (MOR) is an important target for pain management and can be activated by natural opioids, like morphine, and synthetic opioids,...

Newron terminates sarizotan development in Rett syndrome

While Newron Pharmaceuticals S.p.A.’ agonist of the serotonergic 5HT1A receptor significantly reduced episodes of apnea during waking time vs placebo...