Excalipoint Therapeutics launches with $68.7 million

Shanghai, China-based biotechnology Excalipoint Therapeutics, which is developing next-generation T-cell engager (TCE) therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases, today announced an oversubscribed $68.7 million seed financing round to support advancement of its proprietary technology platforms and pipeline of differentiated T-cell engager programs.

T cell engagers are a form of immunotherapy, binding to targets on T cells and diseased ones to spur an immune attack. Drugmakers also see them as more convenient and accessible alternatives to cell therapies, which are largely administered at specialized centers. An array of companies are advancing T cell engagers for cancer and autoimmune conditions. To date, 10 have been approved by US regulators for various malignancies.