Sensei Biotherapeutics, a US-based oncology treatment developer backed by medical research group Cambrian Biopharma, has filed for a $100m initial public offering on the Nasdaq Global Market.
Founded in 1999, Sensei is developing immunotherapies to treat cancer and will put part of the IPO proceeds into an ongoing phase 1/2 clinical trial for its lead drug candidate, SNS-301, for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
Additional proceeds will fund the preclinical and clinical development of two other product candidates: SNS-401 and SNS-VISTA.
The company closed a $30m series B round last week co-led by Apeiron Investment Group and Catalio Capital Management and baked by Cambrian Biopharma, Presight Capital, Pura Vida Investment, Moore Strategic Ventures, Future Ventures and unnamed family offices.
Cambrian Biopharma and H&S Ventures had co-led Sensei’s $28.5m series A round in October 2020, investing with Future Ventures, Apeiron Investment Group and Presight Capital, the US branch of Apeiron Investment Group.
Cambrian Biopharma is the company’s largest shareholder, with a 20.8% stake, followed by H&S Ventures (19.7%) Future Ventures (7.1%) and Presight Capital (6.3%). Citigroup Global Markets, Piper Sandler, Berenberg Capital Markets and Oppenheimer are the underwriters for the offering.
