ImmunOs Therapeutics AG, a biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases based on its unique immune system modulating technology platform, closed a Series C financing round. Proceeds from the Series C will be used to further fund the ongoing clinical trial of ImmunOs’ lead program IOS-1002.
ImmunOs’ lead program IOS-1002 is currently tested in a Phase Ia dose escalation clinical trial as a monotherapy and in combination with MSD’s anti-PD-1 therapy KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab). IOS-1002 is a novel, multifunctional immunotherapy agent for the treatment of advanced solid tumors that simultaneously targets several immune checkpoints. It is based on a naturally occurring human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and designed to activate both innate and adaptive immune cells to modulate the tumor microenvironment, potentially also enhancing the effectiveness of existing IO treatments such as KEYTRUDA.
The Series C round was led by existing investors Gimv, Pfizer Ventures, Mission BioCapital, BioMed Partners and supported by new investor Double Point Ventures as well as other existing investors. In conjunction with the round, Steve Tregay, PhD, Managing General Partner of Mission BioCapital, has joined the Company’s Board of Directors.
"The raise underlines the high interest in this space and potentially highly relevant therapeutic option of our well differentiated lead program”, said Reinhard Ambros, Executive Chairman of the Board of ImmunOs Therapeutics. “IOS-1002 is the most advanced HLA-based program worldwide addressing these relevant targets and offering such a novel, multifunctional immunotherapy approach.”
“We are excited to invest in ImmunOs Therapeutics with its large potential as a first-in-class immunotherapy approach for the treatment of both solid and liquid tumors,” Campbell Murray, Advisor at Double Point Ventures said. “We look forward to supporting ImmunOs’ success.”
“We believe that ImmunOs Therapeutics’ unique platform is well-positioned to deliver potential innovative approaches in inflammatory diseases and immuno-oncology,” Michael Baran, Partner at Pfizer Ventures added. “We look forward to the opportunity to review clinical data potentially in 2025.”
Novel class of biologic therapeutics
ImmunOs’ approach is based on the identification of specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules that hyper-activate the immune system of patients with severe autoimmune disorders. The company has utilized this discovery to develop an HLA-based technology platform to generate a novel class of biologic therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune disease.
To treat cancer, ImmunOs is employing specific HLA molecules as the backbone of novel therapies capable of stimulating the immune system of cancer patients to eliminate tumor cells. In contrast to other immuno-oncology therapies, the product candidates developed by ImmunOs’ platform address multiple targets of the innate immune system via a single molecule.
(Press release / SK)
Picture: Immunos
The new Swiss Venture Capital Report was published on 26 January. It analyses 304 financing rounds closed in 2020 and includes further article such as an interview with Michael Hengartner, President of the ETH Board, and a list of Swiss "soonicorns". 
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