focus
Checkpoint inhibitors, drugs that unleash the immune system, have turned into blockbuster therapies that have transformed outcomes for some patients with deadly cancers. AltruBio, a Bay Area biotech, is betting it can help patients suffering from autoimmune and inflammatory diseases by taking the opposite tack: pumping the brakes on runaway immune responses.
The company on Tuesday announced that it has raised $225 million in a Series B venture round led by BVP Partners, with the biotech’s backers also including RA Capital Management, Cormorant Asset Management, and Soleus Capital. AltruBio plans to put that money toward advancing a drug that is already being tested in a mid-stage trial for ulcerative colitis, an increasingly competitive market in which a number of pharma companies have launched drugs.
advertisement
It’s the latest example of intense investor interest in immunology-focused companies. Firms such as Paragon Therapeutics and Prometheus Laboratories have recently been at the center of financing mega-rounds, and Blackstone Life Sciences recently committed up to $300 million to launch Uniquity Bio, a company developing treatments for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
STAT+ Exclusive Story
Already have an account? Log in
This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers
Unlock this article — plus daily coverage and analysis of the biotech sector — by subscribing to STAT+.
Already have an account? Log in
Already have an account? Log in
Monthly
$39
Totals $468 per year
$39/month Get StartedTotals $468 per year
Starter
$30
for 3 months, then $39/month
$30 for 3 months Get StartedThen $39/month
Annual
$399
Save 15%
$399/year Get StartedSave 15%
11+ Users
Custom
Savings start at 25%!
Request A Quote Request A QuoteSavings start at 25%!
2-10 Users
$300
Annually per user
$300/year Get Started$300 Annually per user
View All Plans
Get unlimited access to award-winning journalism and exclusive events.
Subscribe Log InNext article： Drug repurposing or repositioning? The language matters
