Source: Lieyun Network
Recently, Proviva Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, has completed an over 30 million US dollars A+ round of financing. This round of financing was led by OrbiMed, with participation from several well-known top-tier institutions, including Hankang Capital, Sequoia China, and a globally renowned industry fund.
It is reported that the proceeds from this round of financing will be mainly used to accelerate the global clinical development of its core product PTX-912 and to advance the research and development of several other preclinical innovative pipelines.
Proviva Therapeutics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. was established in August 2019. The company has independently developed highly innovative platforms, including the "CROSSOVER" cytokine prodrug technology platform and the "MUSICA" multifunctional effector cell activation technology platform. Products developed based on these technology platforms are specifically activated in the tumor microenvironment and, through overall product design, effectively address key bottlenecks of traditional therapies such as cytokines or immune cell conjugates, including high peripheral toxicity, low precision in functional activation at the effector cell level, and severe exhaustion.
PTX-912 is a PD-1 antibody and IL-2 prodrug fusion protein independently developed by Proviva Therapeutics, marking the first such molecule to enter clinical trials. Its highly innovative molecular design is reflected in several aspects: 1) It uses an IL-2 mutant that retains binding ability to IL-2Rβγ and partial IL-2Rα, with systemic activity masked by a prodrug structure, significantly reducing peripheral toxicity; 2) The fused PD-1 antibody not only provides immune checkpoint blockade but also enables targeted delivery of high-affinity IL-2, activated by proteases in the tumor microenvironment (TME), directly to tumor-specific T cells; 3) The activated IL-2 exerts a stimulating effect on tumor-infiltrating NK cells, offering potential synergistic effects to enhance overall anti-tumor immune responses.
PTX-912, through the dual mechanism of PD-1 blockade and TME-selective IL-2 signaling pathway activation, is expected to significantly enhance anti-tumor immune responses while reducing the severe systemic toxicity associated with IL-2 class drugs.
PTX-912 is currently in the dose-escalation phase of a Phase I clinical trial. Preliminary data show good safety and tolerability, with confirmed partial response (cPR) observed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, demonstrating outstanding first-in-class mechanism and clinical translation potential.
Dr. Hongxing Zhou, founder and CEO of Proviva Therapeutics, stated: "We will fully leverage our resource advantages and redouble our efforts to address the critical challenges of drug resistance and safety in the field of cancer immunotherapy. We aim to accelerate the clinical progress of PTX-912 while continuously expanding our pipeline of groundbreaking new drugs. Our goal is to bring innovative therapies to patients worldwide as soon as possible, while creating sustainable value returns for our investors and employees."
In the future, Proviva Therapeutics will further expand its team size, accelerate the development of clinical programs and new drug discovery platforms, and actively explore early-stage collaboration and licensing opportunities.