CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ImmusanT, Inc., a clinical stage company that is leveraging its Epitope-Specific Immuno-Therapy™ (ESIT™) platform to translate and deliver first-in-class peptide-based immune therapies to people living with autoimmune diseases, today announced that it has received an investment from the JDRF T1D Fund, a venture philanthropy fund exclusively devoted to finding and funding the best type 1 diabetes (T1D) commercial opportunities. The funding marks the JDRF T1D Fund’s first direct investment in ImmusanT and in peptide immunotherapy, an approach that has the potential to positively alter the immune response involved in multiple autoimmune diseases. Terms of the financing were not disclosed.
With the funds, ImmusanT plans to accelerate the translation of insights and clinical experience gained from its celiac disease program to the development of a novel vaccine candidate for T1D. The company’s lead candidate, Nexvax2®, a peptide-based therapeutic vaccine, has demonstrated safety and relevant bioactivity in multiple Phase 1 studies for celiac disease, an-HLA associated disease with many similarities to T1D.
“This is an exciting time for ImmusanT as we expand the application of our ESIT platform beyond celiac disease to advance the development of a vaccine for type 1 diabetes, a disease for which there is significant unmet medical need,” said Leslie Williams, Chief Executive Officer of ImmusanT. “With the support of the JDRF T1D Fund, we are optimistic that we have the right resources to advance our technology and positively impact the lives of those living with this debilitating disease.”
“We believe ImmusanT’s platform could deliver a transformative therapy for T1D, along with a better understanding of the antigens that are driving this disease,” said Jonathan Behr, Managing Director at the JDRF T1D Fund. “We will support the company beyond our capital investment, collaborating to ensure ImmusanT has the highest chance of success.”
To learn more about ImmusanT’s efforts in T1D and its collaboration with the JDRF T1D Fund, visit www.immusant.com/t1d.
About ImmusanT, Inc.
At ImmusanT, we are developing a new
class of therapeutic vaccines to change the lives of people living with
autoimmune diseases. Our Epitope-Specific Immuno-Therapy™ (ESIT™)
platform provides a precision medicine approach to restoring immune
tolerance across a range of diseases, including celiac disease and type
1 diabetes. Our lead program, Nexvax2®, is in clinical development with
the goal of protecting celiac disease patients against the debilitating
effects of gluten. www.ImmusanT.com
About JDRF T1D Fund
The JDRF T1D Fund (www.t1dfund.org)
is a venture philanthropy fund accelerating life-changing solutions to
treat, prevent and cure type 1 diabetes (T1D) through catalytic
commercial investments. Through its investments in partnership with
private capital, including venture capital, corporations and
foundations, the T1D Fund seeks to attract the private investment
necessary to advance drugs, devices, diagnostics, and vaccines into the
hands of those living with T1D. The T1D Fund invests in areas
strategically aligned with JDRF, the leading global organization funding
T1D research, with an exclusive focus on supporting the best commercial
opportunities. The T1D Fund will reinvest any realized gains into new
investments to further its mission.
