These past few weeks, several antibody drug startups have progressed from the pre-seed stage to final funding rounds. In the pre-seed stage, the focus is on early research, often funded by founders, grants, or angel investors. As the company progresses to the seed stage, it seeks additional funding to validate its scientific concept and develop initial prototypes, attracting early-stage venture capital. During the Series A round, the company scales its research, conducts preclinical studies, and begins regulatory planning, securing significant venture capital investment. Series B and subsequent rounds support clinical trials, further product development, and scaling operations. Once the company achieves significant clinical milestones, it may proceed to the pre-IPO stage, where it finalizes regulatory approvals, expands commercialization efforts, and prepares for the public offering. Finally, the company conducts an IPO to raise capital from public markets, marking its transition from a private to a publicly traded entity.
A couple days ago, Mestag Therapeutics received a £1.5 million seed grant from Innovate UK’s Cancer Therapeutics program to accelerate the path to the clinic for MST-0300, a first-in-class bispecific antibody designed to conditionally induce tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) in solid tumors, an exciting new therapeutic strategy with potential to revolutionize cancer treatment. It works by co-engaging fibroblast activated protein (FAP) and lymphotoxin beta receptor (LTBR). TLS in tumors are strongly predictive of both improved patient outcomes across solid tumor types and better response to therapy.
On August 27, Navigator Medicines announced $100 million in series A funds and in-licensing of NAV-240, a potential best-in-class anti-OX40L and anti-TNFα bispecificantibody therapeutic for autoimmune diseases. Dual targeting of both OX40L- and TNFα-driven signaling pathways may improve upon the efficacy of either monotherapy alone as a potential treatment option for complex, heterogenous diseases with unmet medical needs.
Meanwhile, on August 7, South Korea-based Adel Inc. raised ₩17 billion (US$12.39 million) in series B bridge round to advance its pipeline of Alzheimer’s disease therapies, including its tau antibody-based ADEL-Y01 candidate, currently in a U.S.-based phase I study. ADEL-Y01 is a monoclonal antibody targeting Tau (acetylated lysine 280, acK280).
DOI:10.1172/JCI156537
Further along in growth, two antibody startups from the US have filed for IPOs this past month. Zenas BioPharma is developing a bifunctional monoclonal antibody named obexelimab for several immune diseases, and is currently in Phases 1-3 of clinical trials. Obexelimab is a monoclonal antibody that targets CD19 and FcγRIIb, which are broadly present across B cell lineage, in order to inhibit the activity of cells that are implicated in many autoimmune diseases without depleting them. Simultaneous binding mimics a natural antigen-antibody complex and down-regulates B cell activity.
Bicara Therapeutics is a cancer drugmaker in Phase 1/1b testing with a bifunctional antibody called ficerafusp alfa. Ficerafusp alfa (BCA101) is a first-in-class, dual-action EGFR/TGF-β antibody in clinical development for multiple different solid tumor cancer types including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. By inhibiting both EGFR and TGF-β directly at the site of the tumor, ficerafusp alfa offers the potential to better control tumor growth leading to more durable responses, an improved therapeutic window, and ultimately better outcomes for cancer patients.
Image credit: Bicara Therapeutics
In the past month, antibody therapeutic startups have continued to demonstrate significant potential in revolutionizing the biopharma landscape. These emerging companies are not only pushing the boundaries of innovation but are also attracting substantial investments, signaling a growing confidence in their ability to develop groundbreaking treatments. Their focus on harnessing advanced technologies, such as AI-driven drug discovery and novel antibody engineering techniques, highlights a strong commitment to addressing unmet medical needs. As these startups advance their pipelines and form strategic partnerships, they are poised to play a crucial role in shaping the future of precision medicine.
Bispecific antibodies are rapidly transforming the therapeutic landscape, especially in oncology and autoimmune diseases. Such recombinant molecules can bind to two different antigens at the same time, offering greater specificity in targeting disease pathways. Since their introduction, the area of bispecifics has held tremendous promise in oncological cancers like multiple myeloma and lymphomas.
A common theme emerging from recent antibody research is the development and validation of advanced diagnostic tools based on antibody detection. Multiple studies highlight the creation of novel biosensors and assays designed to enhance the sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency of detecting antibodies across various diseases.
T cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and ITIM domain (TIGIT) is an immune receptor that plays a key role in suppressing T-cell activation and proliferation. As a newly identified checkpoint, it is highly expressed on various immune cells, including CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, NK cells.
