Sonoma sends for Lyell in $40m series A

US-based immunotherapy developer Sonoma Biotherapeutics has publicly launched with $40m in series A funding from investors including immuno-oncology drug developer Lyell Immunopharma.
The corporate was joined by Milky Way Ventures, Arch Venture Partners and 8VC. Lyell’s founder and chief executive, Rick Klausner, has taken on the chairman role at Sonoma while 8VC principal David Moskowitz has taken a board observer role.
Sonoma aims to develop autoimmune and degenerative disease therapies that leverage engineered regulatory T-cells, a form of white blood cell, to control disease-causing antigens, revitalise inflamed tissues and avert unwanted side-effects.
The approach could potentially lead to treatments for autoimmune and degenerative diseases, with rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Alzheimer’s all possible targets.
Sonoma advances research by co-founders Jeff Bluestone and Qizhi Tang, faculty members at University of California, San Francisco, as well as Fred Ramsdell, chief scientific officer of Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and Alexander Rudensky, an investigator at Howard Hughes Medical Institute and chair of the immunology program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
Bluestone stepped down from his position as chief executive of Parker Institute to help launch the company.
Sonoma and Lyell plan to share resources and expertise around cell therapy development in conjunction with the investment.
Rick Klausner said: “The Sonoma Biotherapeutics leadership are responsible for a significant portion of our understanding of the nature of [regulatory T-cells], their role in disease and their potential for use as a cell therapy.
“Perhaps more importantly, they understand the requirements of a successful cell therapeutic and the corresponding challenges in defining the pathway to market. We look forward to a strong partnership between Lyell and Sonoma Biotherapeutics.”
– A version of this article first appeared on our sister site, Global Corporate Venturing.