TLDR:
- Boehringer Ingelheim’s venture arm, BI-VF, invests in Synthetica Pioneering, a company specializing in oncolytic bacteria therapies.
- The Series A financing round, led by Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and Temasek, aims to fast-track Synthetica’s genetically engineered oncolytic bacteria into clinical trials.
Boehringer Ingelheim’s investment in Synthetica Pioneering marks a commitment to expanding the reach of cancer immune therapies. The Series A financing round, led by BI Venture Funds and Temasek, aims to accelerate the development of Synthetica’s genetically engineered oncolytic bacteria treatments for solid tumors. The one-year-old start-up, specializing in genetic circuit engineering, plans to use the funding to move its therapies into clinical trials. Boehringer Ingelheim’s acquisition of T3 Pharmaceuticals last year added a bacterial cancer therapy platform to its portfolio, with a focus on delivering immune-modulating proteins to cancer cells. This new investment, combined with existing platforms, aims to bring the benefits of immuno-oncology to more cancer patients. The company believes that next-generation bacterial cancer treatment platforms, in combination with other therapies, have the potential to increase benefits for patients battling cancer. Frank Kalkbrenner, Head of the Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, highlighted the strategic focus on oncolytic bacterial therapy as a new therapeutic modality with diverse therapeutic activities. The ultimate goal is to transform the lives of more people living with cancer through innovative synthetic biology technologies.
