On September 24, 2019 Amphivena Therapeutics, Inc., a private clinical stage immuno-oncology company developing T cell engager therapeutics for cancer, reported the closing of a $62 million Series C financing (Press release, Amphivena Therapeutics, SEP 24, 2019, View Source [SID1234539751]). The round was co-led by NanoDimension and Qiming Venture Partners USA, and included new investors Clough Capital, Aju IB, Korys Merieux, Kaitai Capital, Industrial Investors, Nawton Limited and insiders MPM Capital, funds managed by Tekla Capital Management LLC and Franklin Berger.
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"AMV564 is a T cell engager that selectively eliminates myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) in cancer patients while sparing normal neutrophils and monocytes. Its unique activity and excellent safety profile positions AMV564 well, as monotherapy or in combination with other agents, for the treatment of hematologic malignancies and solid tumors," said Jeanmarie Guenot, Ph.D., Amphivena Chief Executive Officer and President.
"The Series C financing is an endorsement by new and existing investors of our leadership in the evolving T cell engagement space," said Peter Van Vlasselaer, Ph.D., Executive Chairman. "This funding enables us to study the therapeutic impact of selective MDSC removal in both hematologic and solid cancers and to advance AMV564 and our novel T cell engagement portfolio to the forefront of immuno-oncology."
About AMV564
AMV564 is a bivalent, bispecific (2:2) T cell engager that binds CD33 and CD3. To date, over 50 patients have received AMV564 in two Phase 1 clinical trials for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). It is currently being evaluated in a First-in-Human Phase 1 trial in patients with relapsed/refractory AML at Washington University School of Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center, New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medicine, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and The Johns Hopkins Hospital.
The safety, efficacy and selectivity of AMV564 was highlighted most recently at both the 24th European Hematology Association (EHA) (Free EHA Whitepaper) meeting in Amsterdam (Abstract S877) and at the 60th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) in San Diego, CA last December. Amphivena believes that AMV564 has demonstrated novel clinical activity by rapidly and selectively eliminating leukemic blasts and rare immature, granulocytic and monocytic MDSCs while sparing normal CD33-expressing cells, including neutrophils and monocytes.
AMV564 is also being evaluated in a Phase 1 solid tumor study which is currently open to enrollment.