Conformation-X Therapeutics Bolts out of Stealth, Securing Over $13.5M in Funding to Propel Its Innovative Immune-Oncology Pipeline
3.4.2024 13:55:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Conformation-X Therapeutics, LLC, an immune-oncology focused drug development company, announced today that it has closed an oversubscribed funding tranche of $3.65M, bringing the total raised since inception to over $13.5M. The company unveiled its lead assets by disclosing successful ex vivo and in vivo proof-of-concept studies for its HHLA2 and IL18BP programs, marking critical milestones in the cancer drug development process.
Drawing inspiration from the fundamental role of protein conformations in disease biology and drug efficacy, Conformation-X applies unparalleled precision to developing novel immune checkpoint inhibitors. The company is creating a comprehensive portfolio of differentiated therapeutics addressing cancer mechanisms that have eluded existing treatments.
“The limitations of current checkpoint therapies are evident, as they don’t fully target the diverse spectrum of mechanisms associated with non-responsiveness and treatment resistance,” said Dr. Ali H. Munawar, CEO of Conformation-X Therapeutics.
Despite the pivotal role of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in cancer immunotherapy, several peer-reviewed clinical studies have shown that the overall response rate across various cancers remains at or below 20%. Patients facing resistance to conventional checkpoint therapies encounter a range of challenges. This includes tumors that inherently possess low immunogenicity, are less likely to trigger an immune response, and immune exclusion, which restricts immune cells from the tumor microenvironment (TME). Moreover, complex genetic landscapes featuring oncogenic drivers and epigenetic modifications further contribute to immune evasion and influence treatment outcomes.
Dr. Munawar added, “We are committed to pioneering alternative therapeutic options for these patients by targeting novel biology and molecular pathways. The successive rounds of funding are a testament to our investors’ confidence in the innovation and rigor behind our efforts.”
The recent capital infusion accelerates the company towards translational studies of its lead asset and facilitates the expansion of its pipeline. The company's pipeline encompasses diverse drug target classes, extending beyond the current landscape of immune checkpoints to include novel soluble and epigenetic checkpoints while continuing to innovate within the B7-family of receptors.
“Achieving selective therapeutic targeting of HHLA2 demonstrates our team’s profound understanding of its intricate structure-function relationship and the critical role that HHLA2 plays in tumor immune evasion. Our work highlights the strength of Conformation-X’s drug discovery platform,” said Dr. Stephen Weeks, Sr. Director of Structural Biology and Biophysics.
About Conformation-X Therapeutics
Conformation-X utilizes a proprietary discovery platform enriched by structural insights to pioneer therapeutics with innovative mechanisms of action. The company is developing a diverse portfolio of immunotherapies that activate both the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system. The company’s premier preclinical asset includes a potent HHLA2-inhibitor that selectively restores its immune-suppressing effect with application in PD1/PDL1-negative cancers. To learn more visit www.conformationx.com.
Conformation-X Therapeutics is an independent, privately held research & development (R&D) company affiliated with the Pledge Therapeutics discovery platform.
About Pledge Therapeutics
Pledge Therapeutics is headquartered in Greater Boston with a second R&D branch in Leuven, Belgium. Pledge harnesses a state-of-the-art platform that merges structure-based drug design with biophysics, facilitating breakthroughs in the design of treatments for challenging therapeutic targets.
Pledge is grounded in a collaborative ethos, drawing on a network of experienced life sciences entrepreneurs, clinicians, and discovery scientists. Under its management umbrella, Pledge unites two independent biotech ventures: Orthogon Therapeutics, which specializes in antiviral treatments, and Conformation-X, dedicated to advancements in immune-oncology. This integrated model reinforces Pledge’s mission to revolutionize patient care across diverse therapeutic areas. More info on www.pledge-tx.com.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240403623298/en/
Contact information
Media
Ali H. Munawar, Ph.D.
amunawar@conformationx.com
1-339-502-8643
Maria Martin
mmartin@pledge-tx.com
1-339-502-8630
Krishna Kandala
kkandala@pledge-tx.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
euNetworks launches new quantum-safe private connectivity service powered by Adtran’s encrypted optical transport technology27.5.2026 11:00:00 EEST | Press release
Adtran and euNetworks today announced their collaboration on the launch of a new quantum-safe private connectivity service, Quantum Shield. euNetworks has developed Quantum Shield using Adtran’s optical transport technology to augment its broader architecture, which is designed to deliver secure, scalable data center connectivity across euNetworks’ pan-European network. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260526610601/en/ Adtran’s encrypted optical transport technology is helping euNetworks deliver the highest levels of protection for sensitive data moving across Europe. The new offering is built for enterprises with stringent security, performance and customer-controlled encryption requirements. The deployment combines high-capacity dedicated infrastructure with real-time fiber monitoring and enhanced optical-layer visibility to safeguard critical traffic. By integrating advanced encryption with continuous monito
National Bank of Greece in Cyprus Goes Live With Smartstream’s Air to Consolidate Reconciliations27.5.2026 10:55:00 EEST | Press release
Smartstream, the trusted data solutions provider for leading global financial institutions and enterprises, today announces that the National Bank of Greece (NBG) in Cyprus has successfully gone live with Air, the company’s AI-enabled reconciliation solution. The go-live marks a significant step forward in the bank’s operational efficiency, reducing daily manual processing effort and eliminating the complexity of working across multiple data formats. The bank has deployed Air’s Cash module, replacing both incumbent and consolidating four separate reconciliation systems for Instant, Cash, SEPA, and Nostro reconciliations, into a single, intelligent platform. Although transaction volumes were manageable, the fragmented landscape required significant daily manual effort to handle items individually across each system and to navigate multiple data formats. Following a market review, the bank committed to Smartstream’s Air, with self service model and AI-enabled automation being a distinct
Duco Launches the First Agentic Operations Platform for Financial Services27.5.2026 10:20:00 EEST | Press release
Duco, today launched the first agentic Operations platform for financial services. Built on the engine that already processes 20 billion transactions every month for more than 200 clients, including seven of the top 20 banks and ten of the top 20 asset managers, the platform brings together everything firms need to run post-trade Operations alongside autonomous agents, safely and at scale. The launch establishes a breakthrough the industry has been waiting for. A tool surface, purpose-built for agents. Duco has unbundled its platform into a new alternative agent layer that reconfigures its platform into hundreds of discrete capabilities servicing post trade. Model Context Protocol (MCP) gives capabilities covering reconciliation, data preparation, data access, audit trails, exception management, document creation and more. For the first time, agents have a verified, deterministic toolset built specifically for post-trade. Agents do not replace matching, rules or audit; they use them. P
Brenus Pharma Announces FDA Acceptance of IND Application for STC-1010 (BreAK-CRC001) in MSS Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (mCRC)27.5.2026 09:49:00 EEST | Press release
Brenus Pharma, a clinical stage biotechnology company developing novel in vivo immunotherapies for solid tumors, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accept the company's Investigational New Drug (IND) application for its first drug candidate, STC-1010, in microsatellite stable (MSS) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). STC-1010 is designed to address a critical unmet need worldwide. Approximately 95% of mCRC patients have MSS tumors, which demonstrate minimal response to standard immunotherapies. The FDA validated Brenus Pharma's advanced regulatory and manufacturing capabilities. This operational readiness will accelerate patient access and data generation across both European and US sites for a Phase II program planned for 2027. "FDA's acceptance of our IND represents a major validation of our program and enables the full execution of our clinical strategy across Europe and the United States. Achieving regulatory alignment across multiple jurisdictions refl
Alfasigma presents first data on filgotinib from the Phase 3 OLINGUITO trial in axial spondyloarthritis at EULAR 202627.5.2026 09:00:00 EEST | Press release
Alfasigma S.p.A, a global pharmaceutical company with a focus on innovation in rare and specialty care where there is significant unmet patient need, presented positive results from the OLINGUITO Phase 3 clinical trial (NCT05785611iEudraCT 2022-501354-10-01ii) at EULAR 2026. In OLINGUITO filgotinib, an oral, once-daily JAK1 preferential inhibitor under investigation for the treatment of adult patients with active axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), demonstrated sustained improvements in the signs and symptoms of axSpA, including disease activity and inflammation.iii Safety was consistent with the known profile of filgotinib, indicating a favourable benefit-risk profile for patients with active axSpA.iii The OLINGUITO trial consists of two international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies (Study A and Study B), evaluating the efficacy and safety of filgotinib 200mg once-daily vs. placebo in patients with an established diagnosis of axSpA as per ASAS classification.i Eligi
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom