Aktis Oncology, a Boston, MA-based clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the discovery and development of novel targeted alpha radiopharmaceuticals to treat a broad range of solid tumors, closed a $175m Series B financing.
The round was led by RA Capital Management, and co-led by RTW Investments and Janus Henderson Investors. A select syndicate of additional new investors joined the financing, including funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., Avidity Partners, and an undisclosed life sciences-focused investment fund. All existing institutional investors participated, as well as existing strategic investors Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly and Company, and MRL Ventures Fund, the therapeutics-focused corporate venture fund of Merck & Co., Inc. In conjunction with the financing, Andrew Levin, MD, PhD, Partner and Managing Director at RA Capital Management, will join the Aktis Oncology Board of Directors. Lauren Lee, PhD, from RTW Investments, and Vish Sridharan, MD, from Janus Henderson Investors, will join as Observers to the Board of Directors.
The company intends to use the funds to further advance its differentiated radiopharmaceuticals pipeline, including its first-in-class Nectin-4-targeted miniprotein radioconjugate.
Led by Matthew Roden, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer, Aktis Oncology is a clinical stage biotechnology company pioneering the discovery and development of novel targeted alpha radiopharmaceuticals to treat a broad range of solid tumors. The company’s first of several pipeline programs targets Nectin-4, a tumor-associated antigen found in urothelial and other solid cancers. Founded and incubated by MPM BioImpact, the company has developed its proprietary miniprotein radioconjugate platform to generate tumor targeting agents with properties ideal for alpha radiopharmaceuticals. Designed to maximize tumor killing through high penetration followed by internalization and retention in cancer cells, Aktis’s miniprotein radioconjugates quickly clear from other areas of the body, thereby maximizing anticancer activity while minimizing side effects of treatment. The platform is isotope-agnostic and further enables clinicians to visualize and verify target engagement with imaging isotopes prior to exposure to therapeutic radioisotopes. Aktis also has a strategic collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company to leverage its miniprotein platform to develop novel radioconjugates outside of Aktis’ proprietary pipeline.
FinSMEs
30/09/2024