Sonoma Biotherapeutics has emerged from stealth with $40m to develop regulatory T-cell therapies for autoimmune and degenerative diseases.
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…
