Neobe Therapeutics has $2.3m backing for its cancer disruptor
Synthetic biology start-up Neobe Therapeutics has successfully closed a $2.34m finance round to develop safe microbial strains to disrupt the microenvironment of solid tumours, without affecting healthy tissues.
The company was incorporated in Cambridge in 2021 with co-founders including CEO Pedro Correa de Sampaio, a founding analyst at Deep Science Ventures and PhD graduate from the University of Cambridge (in oncology and cancer biology), and CSO Annelise Soulier, founder at Deep Science Ventures and a PhD in microbiology and immunology.
Neobe Therapeutics is a venture creation alliance between Deep Science Ventures (DSV) and Cancer Research Horizons, established to help founder-type scientists build high-impact ventures in oncology, using DSV’s proven approach to ideation-based innovation.
“Neobe is on a mission to unlock the full potential of immuno-oncology therapeutics,” said Tony Hickson, chief business officer at Cancer Research Horizons. “Since its inception from one of our venture creation programmes, we have been impressed by the entrepreneurial activities of the Neobe team.
“We are excited to continue to work with Neobe’s innovative team to support the company’s next phase of growth and realise its full potential to deliver much-needed therapeutic solutions for patients.”
Neobe was created specifically to address the key issue of existing barriers created by the local microenvironment of solid tumours which prevent the infiltration of cancer reactive immune cells. This “immune exclusion” is a key contributing factor in why about 80 per cent of patients with solid tumours still do not respond to life-changing immunotherapies.
The Station Road company’s synthetic biology platform develops programmable microscopic trojan horses which enable immunotherapy responses by breaking down barriers to immune infiltration locally.
Since its inception, Neobe has successfully engineered two differentiated proprietary products aimed at enabling immunotherapy efficacy in patients with colorectal, pancreatic and breast cancer, with demonstrated pre-clinical efficacy.
“Supporting Neobe in addressing previously untreatable cancers is truly exciting,” says Imelda Juniarsih, investment director at Pioneer Group.
“Their pioneering approach holds immense promise in broadening access to immunotherapies, potentially transforming treatment and importantly preserving life for many patients. We’re honoured to welcome Neobe to our portfolio and recognise the pivotal role they play in advancing this vital mission of making cancer treatment more accessible.”
Pedro Correa de Sampaio, CEO and co-founder of Neobe, said: “We are immensely grateful for the continued backing of our existing investors and thrilled to have Pioneer Group and 2048 Ventures join Neobe’s journey.
“The trust and support of all our investors as well as Innovate UK truly validates our innovative approach, harnessing synthetic biology to build safer and more effective strategies to enable therapeutic efficacy in cancer patients.
“Our mission continues to be to transform cancer treatment through engineered live biotherapeutics, and with this support, we are one step closer to making that a reality.”
