Biopharmaceutical company Theraclone Sciences and University of Texas’ research institute MD Anderson Cancer Center jointly spun out a US-based immuno-oncology antibody discovery startup called OncoResponse yesterday with $9.5m of funding.
The series A round was co-led by MD Anderson, Arch Venture Partners and Canaan Partners. William Marsh Rice University and property debt manager Alexandria Real Estate Equities also contributed funding.
OncoResponse will exploit Theraclone’s technology, known as I-Star immune repertoire screening, to identify cancer antibodies generated by the immune system of patients who have undergone immuno-oncological treatments.
OncoResponse hopes that some of those antibodies could themselves be used to develop new therapies.
MD Anderson will also be responsible for supplying samples and relevant data of patients in whom immunotherapies have been successful, and will also offer its expertise in the field.