EpicentRx Secures $35 Million Series D Financing to Advance Cancer Immunotherapy and Genetically Modified Oncolytic Adenovirus Platform

On November 18, 2019, VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) learned from foreign media reports that biotechnology company EpicentRx announced the completion of a $35 million Series D financing round. The investors in this round were not disclosed.

It is reported that EpicentRx will use the proceeds from this financing to advance the late-stage clinical development of its anticancer drug RRx-001 and its proprietary transgenic oncolytic adenovirus platform technology.

Headquartered in La Jolla, California, USA, EpicentRx is a private biotechnology company. The company focuses on developing cancer immunotherapies to provide personalized treatment solutions for patients. As a patient-centric oncology company, EpicentRx boasts a leading small-molecule immunotherapy platform dedicated to improving the quality of life for cancer patients by developing drugs with low toxicity and high efficacy.

The EpicentRx team brings extensive experience in the life sciences industry. Under the leadership of Corey A. Carter, CEO and Director of Thoracic Oncology at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), and Tony Reid, M.D., the company has developed multiple innovative oncology therapies. Currently, EpicentRx is leveraging genetic engineering technologies to produce various oncolytic adenoviruses. These genetically engineered viruses are designed to selectively replicate within cancer cells, thereby achieving the destruction of tumor cells.

EpicentRx’s lead candidate, RRx-001, is a small-molecule immunotherapy agent targeting the CD47–SIRPα axis and is currently undergoing Phase III clinical trials. The trial evaluates the efficacy of RRx-001 in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy as a third-line or later treatment for small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

RRx-001 is the first-in-class representative of a novel class of dinitroazetidine compounds, characterized by a unique structure and low toxicity. It exhibits broad-spectrum anticancer activity and is indicated for the treatment of diseases such as small cell lung cancer (SCLC), glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), hepatocellular carcinoma, and colorectal cancer. The U.S. FDA has granted orphan drug designation to RRx-001 for the treatment of SCLC, neuroendocrine tumors, and GBM, while the European Union has granted it orphan drug designation for SCLC.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for 15%–20% of all lung cancers and primarily comprises three subtypes: oat cell type, intermediate cell type, and mixed type. The majority of SCLC cases are associated with smoking, while a minority may be linked to environmental or genetic factors. The clinical manifestations in patients with this disease are similar to those of non-small cell lung cancer, including cough, hemoptysis, chest pain, chest tightness, and dyspnea. Furthermore, SCLC is characterized by rapid tumor cell doubling time, high malignancy, and a predisposition to paraneoplastic endocrine syndromes.

Dr. Corey A. Carter stated, “SCLC is a highly aggressive malignancy. Following first-line therapy, the disease may progress more rapidly and render platinum-based chemotherapy ineffective. In contrast, RRx-001 exhibits lower toxicity and can effectively mitigate resistance to first-line chemotherapy, fundamentally transforming the treatment paradigm for patients with SCLC.”

(Compiled by Xu Xiaoxue)