On April 20, 2020 Phost’in Therapeutics (Montpellier, France), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of N-glycosylation inhibitors, reported that it has successfully secured a €10.3 million Series A round, from an international syndicate of LifeScience and Innovation Investors led by Remiges Ventures and completed by ANRI and IrdiSoridec (Press release, Phost’in, APR 20, 2020, View Source [SID1234560965]).

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On April 20, 2020 Zikani Therapeutics, a company dedicated to leveraging its unique TURBO-ZM platform to develop novel ribosome modulating agents (RMAs) for the treatment of rare, nonsense mutation-driven diseases, reported the close of a $7.5 million Series A-1 financing (Press release, Zikani Therapeutics, APR 20, 2020, View Source [SID1234558245]). Advent Life Sciences, Gurnet Point Capital and Roche Venture Fund supported the funding.

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"We’re pleased to support Zikani as an emerging company that is using the strength of its science and a refined strategy to develop novel ribosome modulators for rare diseases caused by nonsense mutations," said Raj Parekh of Advent Life Sciences.

Zikani will use the proceeds to advance its current nonsense mutation readthrough programs from lead optimization to candidate selection. The company has demonstrated positive, pre-clinical data in multiple disease areas, including: APC mutant colon cancer, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), class 1 cystic fibrosis, and recessive dystrophic and junctional epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB and JEB).

"Zikani has generated promising data that validates its TURBO-ZM platform and addresses a completely unmet need in oncology therapeutics: restoring expression of a major tumor suppressor gene," said Keith Flaherty, M.D., Director of Clinical Research at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and a senior advisor to Zikani.

Ribosomal RNAs form the translation machinery that generates function proteins from genetic sequencies. Ribosome modulation provides a therapeutic approach to addressing a number of diseases, but the development of disease-specific ribosome modulators has been a challenge. Zikani’s proprietary platform TURBO-ZM allows rapid synthesis of novel RMAs that can be optimized to target the human ribosome in a disease specific manner.

"We’re highly encouraged by the data we’ve generated to date and are working rapidly to advance compounds into pre-clinical development. This financing, particularly in this volatile financial market, is a vote of confidence for our promising technology platform. As we look ahead, our focus is to maximize the funding and take the steps necessary to generate greater recognition for RMAs and form collaborations with partners that will benefit from our scientific platform," said Sumit Aggarwal, President and CEO, Zikani Therapeutics.

On April 20, 2020 Epsilogen (formerly IGEM Therapeutics), a global leader in the development of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to treat cancer, reported that it has in-licenced exclusive global rights to MOv18 IgE, an anti-folate receptor alpha IgE antibody from King’s College London (KCL) (Press release, IGEM Therapeutics, APR 20, 2020, View Source [SID1234556608]). Financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.

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The antibody, which was developed at KCL in collaboration with Cancer Research UK, is the first therapeutic IgE antibody to enter clinical trials. Cancer Research UK is funding, sponsoring and conducting an on-going phase I clinical trial in patients with advanced cancer expressing folate receptor alpha (FR alpha). As separately announced today, interim data from this trial will be presented at the forthcoming American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Virtual Annual Meeting I which begins on 27 April 2020. Folate receptor alpha (FR alpha) is selectively expressed most commonly on the surface of ovarian cancer cells, making it a promising target for IgE antibody therapy for this cancer which has relatively few effective treatment alternatives.

Epsilogen will continue the further clinical development of MOv18 IgE and has put in place a comprehensive manufacturing programme with a leading contract development and manufacturing organisation. Funding for this manufacturing work has been provided by a further £3 million Series A2 investment from Epsilogen’s existing investors Epidarex Capital, ALSA Holdings and the UCL Technology Fund.

Dr Tim Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of Epsilogen, said:

"We are very pleased to have in-licensed this promising new therapy which has the potential to target a very serious cancer with relatively few effective treatment alternatives. We are grateful to our scientific founders Professors Sophia Karagiannis and James Spicer of KCL for conducting the early scientific research on MOv18 IgE and also to Cancer Research UK for investing in and developing the product through its early clinical phase. We also wish to thank our investor group for continuing to support us with further financing via the Series A2."

On April 20, 2020 Genome & Co. (KONEX: 314130), a Korean biotechnology company developing innovative therapeutics in immune-oncology, reported on April 20 that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for GEN-001 for combination treatment with avelumab (BAVENCIO) in patients with solid cancers (Press release, Genome & Company, APR 20, 2020, View Source [SID1234556600]).

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Avelumab is an anti-PD-L1 antibody co-developed and co-commercialized by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer Inc.

With this clearance, Genome & Co. will be the first Asian company to initiate a first-in-human trial of anti-cancer microbiome and anti-PD1/anti-PD-L1 combination treatment as a sole sponsor. The phase 1/1b clinical trial will be initiated at the U.S. clinical sites and the first patient is expected to be enrolled within this year.

"IND clearance from FDA for our first anti-cancer microbiome therapeutic GEN-001 is a very significant milestone as it will transition Genome & Co. into a clinical-stage biotechnology company. We hope to add meaningful value and advancement in the microbiome and immuno-oncology industry with our combinational approach to cancer patients who have progressed on prior anti-PD1/anti-PD-L1 therapy," said Park Han-soo, chief technical officer of Genome & Co.

Genome & Co CEO Pae Ji-soo said, "This IND approval is a meaningful corporate milestone and a critical step forward to achieving new arrangements in strategic partnering. We are indeed looking forward to further investigating how our clinical data will be translated into our cancer patients. I thank all the members and partners of Genome & Co. for dedicating themselves to accomplishing this milestone."

In January this year, Genome & Co. had entered into a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer Inc. to evaluate the safety, tolerability, biological and clinical activities of GEN-001 therapy in combination with avelumab in multiple cancer indications. The combination trial is designed to be a first-in-human study including dose escalation and expansion cohorts to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy.

GEN-001 is an oral microbiome therapeutic candidate developed to have immune modulating activities, resulting in potential partnership with immune checkpoint inhibitors. GEN-001 consists of a single strain bacteria isolated from gut of healthy human volunteers that has been shown to activate dendritic cells, macrophages and T cell response. In preclinical studies, GEN-001 has shown optimal safety margin and synergistic effects in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors by enhancing the effect of suppressing the growth of both immune checkpoint inhibitor sensitive and resistant tumor models.

Genome & Co. is a clinical stage biotechnology company based in South Korea that focuses on discovering and developing the next waves of innovative therapeutics in immuno-oncology through diverse modalities of microbiome, novel target immune checkpoint inhibitors and fusion proteins to fulfill the unmet needs of cancer patients.

On April 20, 2020 Qiuzhen Medical Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (referred to as: Qiuzhen Medical) reported that it has received hundreds of millions of yuan in B-round financing (Press release, ChosenMed Technology, APR 20, 2020, View Source [SID1234556519]). Last-round investors such as Fang Capital and Data Capital continued to follow suit. This round of financing is mainly used for the registration of tumor multi-gene testing products and the industrialization of IVD. It will continue to promote the intelligentization of tumor companion diagnostic testing and data analysis, and continue to create a closed loop for precision medical treatment of tumors.

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Qiuzhen Medical previously completed nearly RMB 100 million in angel rounds and round A financing in 2018.

Based on bioinformatics and high-throughput sequencing technology, Qiuzhen Medical has a comprehensive layout in the field of tumor liquid biopsy. It has original tumor detection products in multiple market segments and meets clinical needs. The products cover early cancer screening and targeted drug concomitant The fields of diagnosis, immunoassay, dynamic monitoring, prognosis assessment and tumor bioinformatics big data platform analysis.

Exploring technological innovation and striving for medical excellence

Since the establishment of Qiuzhen Medicine, it has rapidly arranged the upstream and downstream of the industry chain, actively introduced top teams of scientists at home and abroad, and continued to increase investment in research and development. After three years of rapid development, Qiuzhen Medical has owned a number of business lines such as third-party medical testing services, IVD (in vitro diagnostic) product production, and oncology medical big data platforms. Strategic cooperation.

At present, Qiuzhen Medical has independently developed more than 20 tumor detection products covering pan-cancer, lung cancer and other nine systemic tumors. Among them, ChosenOne 599, ChosenLung and other products have been awarded the title of new technology and new products (services) in Beijing. For the above products, Qiuzhen Medicine has provided accurate tumor gene testing services for hundreds of cancer specialists and general hospitals in China, and has won unanimous recognition and praise from doctors and patients.

Qiuzhen Medical now has 34 patents and 54 scientific and technological achievements based on the Big Panel’s Shengxin Software copyrights, and has won the "Top 50 Most Valuable Enterprises in China", "Top 100 Chinese Innovative Growth Enterprises", and "Deloitte-Yizhuang Honorable qualifications such as "Tomorrow Star", "Top 100 Medical Future List", "Postdoctoral Research Station".

Undertake "China Cancer Gene Atlas Project" (CGAC project) and high-tech industry to collaboratively innovate oncology precision medicine big data platform

Qiuzhen Medicine is the only corporate legal entity that cooperates with the China Cancer Gene Atlas Project (CGAC Project). It will work with more than 70 domestic top three hospitals to collect and test more than 10,000 tumor samples, and jointly design and establish a Chinese tumor gene database and clinical The database actively promotes the expert consensus of the Panel on Multi-gene Cancer Detection, and will build a tumor sample database based on the Chinese population in the future to provide sample data support for the research and development and clinical research of tumor drugs and accompanying diagnostic kits.

In order to continue to promote the storage and detection of tumor biological samples, the construction of storage of clinical data such as patient basic information, clinical treatment programs, etc., based on its own scientific research products, Qiuzhen Medicine will rely on its internationally leading biological information analysis platform and algorithm in October 2019. In July, the company launched its own medical information platform with its own intellectual property rights. Through this platform, it has provided more than 40 companies with data storage, data query, biological information analysis and other services. At the same time, it has served many companies to complete tumor genetic testing. Analytical statistical services, sample testing services, and new analytical algorithm development services.

In the future, Qiuzhen Medicine will continue to improve the oncology precision medicine big data platform, and work with more than 70 domestic top three hospitals to jointly design and establish a Chinese tumor gene database and clinical database; top experts from institutions such as the United Nations Human Genetic Resource Center and establish expert committees To focus on solving common technical problems in the construction of oncology precision medicine big data platforms, especially to propose solutions for the standardization of the detection process and the development of bioinformatics algorithms.

Mr. Sun Dawei, Chairman of Qiuzhen Medical, said: "We are very honored to receive the trust and support of well-known investment institutions and all old shareholders. As a high-tech company focused on the field of oncology precision medicine, Qiuzhen Medical has always been committed to the transformation of advanced scientific and technological achievements. To provide the best quality products and services for clinicians and patients. In the future, we will unswervingly exert our own advantages, increase independent research and development, continue to launch competitive and innovative products, and advance China’s tumor precision medical industry to a new Steps! "

Mr. Liu Yujia of Shanghai Lianhe, the leading investor, said: "Quzhen Medical has an international top technical team, which makes it unique in the field of bioinformatics analysis, and integrates technology research and development, market expansion, and clinical registration. The ability is becoming more and more obvious. Lianhe Investment is very optimistic about the team of Qizhen. Investing in Qizhen is full of confidence in the future of Qizhen. We will be very determined to join hands and seek common development. "

Honghui Capital spokesperson Ms. Jiang Yanye said: "Honghui Capital, as an old shareholder, reinvests again, not only optimistic about the outstanding achievements of Qiuzhen Medical in all aspects, but also very much appreciates its open and inclusive, large-scale corporate feelings, regardless of its participation The national project undertaken-"China Cancer Gene Atlas Project", is committed to filling the gaps in China’s cancer gene atlas, or is the rapid development in the market. We believe that Qiuzhen Medicine will make greater progress in the field of tumor precision medicine. "

Mr. Zhu Jia of Heyahua Medicine said: "As a professional medical investment fund, Heyahua Medicine is very optimistic about the track in the field of precision medicine for tumors, especially high-tech such as Qiuzhen Medicine that has achieved excellent results in the field of precision medicine for tumors. Company. I hope that Qiuzhen Medical will continue to make steady progress with the team’s international vision and excellent execution ability, and continue to make new breakthroughs. "