ImmunoScape, a Singapore-headquartered biotechnology company developing next-generation T cell receptor (TCR) based cancer immunotherapies, announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with a leading National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the United States to advance a clinical trial for its “Seed and Boost” therapeutic platform. The company also revealed a strategic investment from actor and environmental advocate Leonardo DiCaprio.
The collaboration is designed to accelerate ImmunoScape’s Seed and Boost program into the clinic. Under the agreement, the company and the cancer center will launch an investigator-initiated clinical trial targeting Wilms Tumor 1 (WT1) positive solid tumors. The trial will focus on difficult-to-treat cancers, including ovarian cancer, mesothelioma, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, and other solid tumors with significant unmet medical needs.
The study is expected to begin dosing patients by September 2026. ImmunoScape’s Seed and Boost approach is designed to address key challenges that often limit the effectiveness of traditional cell therapies, including T cell persistence and exhaustion.
The “Seed” component uses a patient’s own T cells engineered to express a high-affinity T cell receptor targeting the intracellular WT1 antigen. The “Boost” component uses a clinical-stage fusion protein based on ImmunoScape’s Immuno STAT technology that selectively expands and activates WT1-targeting T cells within the patient while leaving other T cells unaffected. This strategy aims to mimic the natural immune synapse to amplify the anti-tumor response.
Alongside the clinical collaboration, the company disclosed that Leonardo DiCaprio has joined its group of investors. The investment reflects growing interest in new therapeutic approaches for treating hard-to-target cancers such as pancreatic and ovarian tumors.
ImmunoScape was originally spun out of Singapore’s A*STAR research agency and operates across Singapore and California. The company focuses on discovering and developing cell immunotherapies for solid tumors using its proprietary deep immunomics and high-throughput TCR discovery platforms.
The company also noted that its scientists have been selected to present research on the Seed and Boost platform at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in April 2026, highlighting growing scientific attention to the technology.
KEY QUOTES:
“ImmunoScape is pioneering innovative cancer therapies, and its upcoming clinical trials targeting pancreatic, ovarian, and mesothelioma cancers are highly encouraging. Through this investment, I hope to play a small role in helping accelerate their development.”
Leonardo DiCaprio, Investor and Actor
“We are honored that a major U.S. Cancer Center has agreed to partner with us to fast-track our Seed and Boost therapeutic approach into a clinical trial. Their experts see the potential that this novel new approach may bring to patients in need.”
Michael Fehlings, PhD, CEO Of ImmunoScape
“Cancer patients need new innovative therapies, and this sense of urgency is driving our efforts to test patients before the end of 2026.”
Dr. Evan Newell, PhD, Chair Of ImmunoScape’s Scientific Advisory Board
“ImmunoScape’s Seed and Boost therapeutic approach has the potential to transform how we treat difficult solid tumor cancers. It may be able to simultaneously improve treatment efficacy, improve the patient experience, and lower therapeutic costs.”
Adrian Bot, MD, PhD, Board Member Of ImmunoScape And Former Chief Scientific Officer Of Kite Pharma And Capstan Therapeutics
“From our company’s origins as a spin-out of Singapore’s ASTAR Research Agency to today, we are thrilled that the team’s Singapore-based research has led us to this milestone of a major clinical trial against difficult cancers.”*
Choon Peng Ng, Chairman And Co-Founder Of ImmunoScape
