Breakthroughs in immuno-oncology, which work by training the body’s own T cells to target cancer cells, have been driving advancements in our battle with cancer over the past decade.
Yet, current approaches are limited, as they only work for some cancers and lacking specificity, which can cause significant side effects.
Built on the foundations of research from Professor Allan Bradley in the University’s Department of Medicine, and previously at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, T-Therapeutics’ OpTiMus® platform sidesteps shortfalls in immuno-oncology by creating a near-unlimited database of optimal T cell receptors (TCRs). These TCRs are used as building blocks for new therapies to unlock the immune system’s potential for cancer-specific solutions.
Although the primary focus is on cancer treatment, T-Therapeutics has ambitions to expand its TCR-based medicine pipeline to target various autoimmune disorders too. We are proud to have been involved with T-Therapeutics from academic research through to commercial reality, cemented by its £48 million in Series A funding in November 2023.
”We are able to discover anti-cancer TCRs that are quantitively and qualitatively better than those that can currently be isolated from humans or using display technologies.”
Professor Allan Bradley continues, “Our OpTiMus® platform provides an unbeatable starting point: a vast repertoire of unique, fully human TCRs, with properties that make them ideal to develop into drugs.”
Harnessing the power of natural T cells
T-Therapeutics is pioneering new technology to harness the power of T cells, offering potentially game-changing developments in first-in-class cancer therapeutics. Their technology trains the body’s T cells to identify and eradicate tumours. Unlike other T cell receptor (TCR) technologies that lack specificity, potentially causing significant side effects, their OpTiMus® platform creates a vast database of optimal TCRs for new therapies.
In 2023, T-Therapeutics secured a staggering £48 million in Series A funding, led by Sofinnova Partners and F-Prime Capital with contributions from Digitalis Ventures, Sanofi Ventures, Cambridge Innovation Capital, and Cambridge Enterprise Ventures. This injection of funds allows T-Therapeutics to expand its TCR-based medicine pipeline, targeting not just cancer but also various autoimmune diseases.
Cambridge Enterprise has been a crucial ally in this venture, aiding in the transition from academic research to commercial reality.
Image Credits: T-Therapeutics
