InduPro has raised $77 million in Series B funding and dosed the first patient in a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating IDP-001, the biotechnology company’s lead oncology candidate. The Column Group led the financing. Existing investors Vida Ventures, MRL Ventures Fund, Emerson Collective advised by Yosemite, and Euclidean Capital participated alongside new investors Solasta Ventures, Sanofi, and Eli Lilly and Company.
InduPro plans to use the proceeds to support Phase 1 clinical development and generate early proof-of-concept data for IDP-001 while advancing additional programs in its preclinical pipeline.
IDP-001 is a potential first-in-class bispecific antibody-drug conjugate targeting EGFR and TAPA-E1, a novel Tumor-Associated Proximity Antigen identified using InduPro’s proximity-guided discovery platform.
The open-label, first-in-human Phase 1 study is evaluating IDP-001 as a monotherapy in adults with advanced or metastatic squamous or non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer and other squamous solid tumors whose disease has progressed following standard treatment. The study will evaluate safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary antitumor activity.
InduPro designed the treatment around the spatial relationship between proteins on the surface of cancer cells. Its platform maps protein neighborhoods to identify combinations of targets that may distinguish diseased cells from healthy tissue.
The company believes simultaneously targeting EGFR and TAPA-E1 could improve tumor selectivity, internalization, and antitumor efficacy while reducing some of the tolerability challenges associated with therapies directed solely at EGFR.
InduPro’s broader platform uses high-resolution proximity labeling technology to identify novel protein pairings associated with specific disease biology. The company is applying the approach across cancer and autoimmune diseases to develop bispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and T-cell engagers.
KEY QUOTES:
“We are delighted to have the support of this outstanding group of life sciences investors and strategic partners who recognize the potential of our proximity-guided platform to create precision therapeutics in oncology and autoimmune disease. With IDP-001 now in the clinic, our focus is on disciplined clinical execution. I am pleased with how effectively our team has advanced the program and encouraged by the strong early interest from principal investigators and clinical sites as we expand the study.”
Prakash Raman, Ph.D., CEO of InduPro
“Treatment options for squamous cancers have not kept pace with advances in other solid tumors. IDP-001 was designed to help address this gap by harnessing the power of biological proximity. The targets for our bispecific ADC were selected based not only on their shared biology across squamous tumors, but also on their proximity on the surface of cancer cells, a spatial relationship not found in normal tissue.”
“We believe this differentiated biology may enable IDP-001 to drive meaningful clinical activity with a wider therapeutic window across a range of squamous and selected non-squamous solid tumors. Our goal now is to determine whether IDP-001 can translate that potential into improved outcomes for patients who currently have too few treatment options.”
Amanda J. Redig, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer of InduPro
“InduPro’s induced-proximity platform has opened a window into cell-surface biology by mapping protein neighborhoods overlooked by conventional target-discovery approaches. The team is using those insights as a powerful engine for discovering selective co-target pairs and building a compelling pipeline.”
Sarah Hymowitz, Ph.D., Partner at The Column Group and InduPro Board Chair
