Junshi Biosciences has invested in the University of Birmingham-founded cancer immunotherapy developer, building on a research collaboration deal.
Revitope Oncology, a US-based cancer therapeutics spinout of University of Birmingham, yesterday obtained $10m in equity funding from biopharmaceutical firm Junshi Biosciences.
Junshi will take a 9.99% stake having already entered an up to $800m collaboration and licensing agreement with the spinout in June 2020, when Junshi first made a conditional commitment to invest $10m.
Founded in 2014, Revitope Oncology has created a protein engineering platform that allows antibodies to split into two halves once in the body to help the immune system recognise two distinct antigens.
The platform is intended to underpin cancer drugs that boost the body’s immune response once both antibodies are reunited.
Revitope’s approach evolved from work pioneered by Mark Cobbold, then a senior clinical research fellow at University of Birmingham specialised in tumour immunology.
In addition to University of Birmingham, the spinout is also licensed by research charity Cancer Research…
