London-based Pheon Therapeutics launches with $68m financing to advance novel ADC for treatment of solid tumors

London-based Pheon Therapeutics launches with $68m financing to advance novel ADC for treatment of solid tumors

Published: 28-09-2022 10:49:00 | By: Pie Kamau | hits: 3114 | Tags:

Pheon Therapeutics (Pheon), an Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) specialist developing next generation ADCs for a wide range of hard-to-treat cancers has launched, following the closing of a $68 million Series A financing.

The investment will enable Pheon to advance its lead ADC program to clinical proof-of-concept and establish a pipeline of novel ADCs. The financing was led by Brandon Capital, Forbion and Atlas Venture, with participation from seed investor Research Corporation Technologies (RCT).

Bertrand Damour, Chief Executive Officer, Pheon Therapeutics: "Pheon is developing a first-in-class ADC and has built a highly differentiated proprietary payload platform which is gaining strong momentum. We are laser-focused on implementing our strategy to get our first program into clinical development as rapidly as possible and the preclinical data generated so far are very promising. The track record and expertise of the leadership team at Pheon is outstanding and I am proud to be working with them on this innovative approach to developing treatments for cancer patients."

Pheon's lead program exploits a novel target that is highly expressed in a broad range of solid tumors. The lead compound is expected to reach IND within the next 18 months. Understanding there is no "one size fits all" in engineering ADCs, Pheon takes a methodical approach to ADC development. Using both novel and clinically validated mAbs and arming them either with warheads from its proprietary payload platform which boasts a novel mechanism of action or with off-the-shelf linker payload combinations, Pheon is finely attuned to balancing safety and efficacy for each target.

Jonathan Tobin, Chair and Partner, Brandon Capital: "In the last few years ADC drugs have started to show unprecedented clinical efficacy through a better understanding of the properties that make an effective ADC, combined with next generation payloads and targets. We are excited by the potential of Pheon's first-in-class antibody target coupled with its novel proprietary payload platform to make a significant contribution to the ADC field and cancer patients. Pheon has attracted a strong syndicate of investors with the likes of Brandon Capital, Forbion and Atlas, and a proven leadership team focused on rapidly bringing its first-in-class ADC to the clinic. We look forward to extending the benefit of these cutting-edge therapeutics to more patients through target and payload innovation at Pheon."

www.pheontx.com