Jounce Therapeutics, Inc., a Cambridge, MA-based newly formed company focused on the discovery and development of cancer immunotherapies, raised $47m in Series A financing from Third Rock Ventures.
Led by Cary Pfeffer, M.D., interim CEO, Robert Tepper, M.D., interim CSO, Robert Kamen, Ph.D., interim CTO, Michael Briskin, Ph.D., vice president, research, Jigar Raythatha, CBO, the company focuses cancer immunotherapies designed to harness the patient’s immune system to seek out and attack cancerous cells and tumors. Jounce’s proprietary product engine enables the exploration of multiple mechanisms of action and a broad spectrum of targets. The company’s expertise include tumor immunobiology, antibody discovery and optimization and integrated translational science capabilities, including novel in vivo tumor model systems and other clinically-based approaches.
Jounce intends to use the capital to build its product engine and advance its lead programs to the clinic. To this end, it is also hiring (read here).
The company was founded by:
– James P. Allison, Ph.D., chair, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Department of Immunology,
– Padmanee (Pam) Sharma, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor, department of genitourinary medical oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center,
– Thomas F. Gajewski, M.D., Ph.D., professor, departments of pathology and medicine, University of Chicago,
– Drew Pardoll, M.D., Ph.D., professor and co-director, cancer immunology and hematopoiesis program, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, and
– Louis M. Weiner, M.D., director, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, professor and chair, department of oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center.
FinSMEs
14/02/2013