Conformation-X Therapeutics Bolts out of Stealth, Securing Over $13.5M in Funding to Propel Its Innovative Immune-Oncology Pipeline
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
Binarly to Unveil “Broken Trust” Research: Firmware Bypass Chains, BMC Persistence, and EDR Evasion16.1.2026 00:04:00 EET | Press release
Binarly, the industry leader in software and firmware supply-chain security, today announced an upcoming DistrictCon presentation “Broken Trust: Firmware Bypass Chains, BMC Persistence, and EDR Evasion.” The session will detail how firmware-level attack chains observed in shipped enterprise devices can effectively undermine modern endpoint defenses, enabling stealthy compromise and long-lived persistence. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260115834965/en/ Binarly Unveils Broken Trust Research: Firmware Bypass, BMC Persistence In this presentation, the Binarly REsearch team will dismantle the assumption of hardware trust by presenting multiple real-world firmware bypass chains. Alex Matrosov and Fabio Pagani will provide a deep dive into the specific vulnerability classes and exploitation primitives that make these attacks reliable in practice. The team will also deliver a live demonstration compromising a fully
World Economic Forum and Salesforce Empower Global Leaders With First-of-its-Kind Agentic Assistant for the 2026 Annual Meeting in Davos15.1.2026 20:06:00 EET | Press release
Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), the world’s #1 CRM, today announced the activation of the World Economic Forum’s institutional knowledge powered by Agentforce 360 to support over 3,000 of the world’s most influential leaders at the 2026 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. The Forum has launched a new proactive, high-precision concierge app, “EVA,” built on the Agentforce 360 Platform, Salesforce’s agentic platform. EVA will empower attendees to move beyond traditional information access, with an AI agent that doesn’t just answer questions, but can reason, prioritize, and act on a leader’s behalf for the 2026 Annual Meeting. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260115571119/en/ Scheduled for January 19–23 in Davos, Switzerland, this year’s event is set to be the largest meeting in the organization's history. With over 450 high-impact sessions and thousands of specialized interactions, the gap between available insight and
Coolbrook Named on the 2026 Global Cleantech 10015.1.2026 19:14:00 EET | Press release
Coolbrook, a transformational technology and engineering company on a mission to decarbonise major industrial sectors like petrochemicals and chemicals, iron and steel, aluminium, and cement, has been named on Cleantech Group’s 2026 Global Cleantech 100. This annual list recognizes companies poised to deliver market-ready solutions that advance a cleaner, more resilient global future. The report highlights innovators addressing some of the world’s most urgent environmental and infrastructure challenges. The complimentary report introduces you to innovators advancing groundbreaking technologies and business models to enable us to act on the ever-increasing climate and environmental crisis. Following a 2025 marked by geopolitical volatility and shifting economic signals, the global cleantech ecosystem enters 2026 with slightly greater certainty - yet heightened competitive pressure. Growth is concentrating around two dominant themes: AI infrastructure and critical minerals. “The 2026 Glo
Frasca to Supply Four New Flight Training Devices to Global Medical Response15.1.2026 17:05:00 EET | Press release
Frasca International, Inc., a FlightSafety International company, today announced it has signed a contract with Global Medical Response (GMR) to supply four new Level 7 Flight Training Devices (FTDs). The new devices include an Airbus EC135, a Pilatus PC-12, a Beechcraft C90, and a Beechcraft B200. Each FTD will feature Frasca's unique motion system to provide enhanced realism in training. The devices will be installed at GMR’s new training facility currently under construction in Denton, Texas. Frasca has supported GMR’s pilot training efforts for nearly two decades, beginning with the delivery of their first device in 2005 for Air Evac Lifeteam, a GMR company. Since then, Frasca simulators have played a central role in preparing GMR’s flight crews for the complex and high-stakes environments they encounter in emergency medical operations. With the delivery of these new devices, GMR will operate a total of 15 Frasca simulators, including seven Level 7 FTDs and eight Helicopter Trainin
Andersen Consulting Expands Human Capital Offering With Addition of Jakarta Consulting Group15.1.2026 16:30:00 EET | Press release
Andersen Consulting deepens its capabilities through a Collaboration Agreement with Jakarta Consulting Group (JCG), an advisory firm known for its expertise in organizational transformation, human capital strategy, and leadership development. Headquartered in Indonesia, JCG has advised companies in industries such as real estate, mining, and manufacturing through strategic and cultural transformation. With core offerings that include business and management consulting, HR consulting, assessment, and business and management training, the firm is known for its ability to transform businesses and leaders with agility, cultural intelligence, and execution-driven solutions. “We’ve always believed that sustainable transformation begins with people — when leaders evolve, organizations follow,” said Patricia Susanto, CEO of Jakarta Consulting Group. “By combining Andersen Consulting’s global perspective with our regional insight, we can offer clients more holistic solutions to navigate change
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