Century Therapeutics Secures $250M Series A Financing to Advance iPSC-Derived Allogeneic Cell Therapies for Cancer

Recently, VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) learned from foreign media reports that biotechnology company Century Therapeutics (“Century”) announced the completion of a $250 million Series A financing round. The round was led by Leaps by Bayer, a subsidiary of Bayer, with participation from Versant Ventures and FUJIFILM.

Upon completion of this round of financing, Century will further develop induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based therapies for hematologic and solid malignancies.

Century Therapeutics, founded in 2018 and headquartered in Philadelphia, USA, is a biotechnology company. Established by the investment firm Versant Ventures, the company focuses on the emerging field of “off-the-shelf” cell therapies, primarily developing treatments for malignant tumors based on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). This therapeutic approach has advanced the progress of oncology treatment, providing cancer patients with highly effective and cost-efficient treatment options.

iPSCs are stem cells derived from the differentiation of adult stem cells, possessing unlimited self-renewal capacity; thus, developing iPSCs is akin to manufacturing antibodies, enabling an unlimited supply of therapeutic agents. Furthermore, iPSCs can be differentiated into any cell type according to research needs at a relatively low cost. According to Century Therapeutics, iPSC-derived immune effector cell products are specifically designed for the treatment of both hematologic and solid malignancies.

Carlo Rizzuto, Partner at Versant Ventures and Director at Century Therapeutics, stated, “We derive cells from adults by introducing cytokines and transcription factors into fully differentiated adult skin cells or blood cells. These transcription factors activate relevant genetic programs, reprogramming the cells to a pluripotent state. This process does not involve embryonic tissue, yet it yields results highly similar to those obtained from embryonic sources, namely that the stem cells can continue to develop into fully mature cells.”

Versant Ventures Partner Tom Woiwode stated, “We believe that iPSCs, like embryonic stem cells, have the potential to differentiate into various cell types and can improve treatment outcomes for cancer patients.”

Juergen Eckhardt, Head of Leaps by Bayer, stated, “We are highly optimistic about Century Therapeutics’ growth potential. The next-generation cell therapies developed by the company hold promise for treating cancers that were previously incurable.”

Leaps by Bayer, established in 2015 and headquartered in Germany, is a subsidiary of Bayer. The company focuses on investing in startups within the life sciences sector, committed to spearheading revolutionary advancements in life sciences.

Versant Ventures, founded in 1999 and headquartered in the United States, is a leading healthcare investment firm. The company focuses on investing in the healthcare sector, assisting portfolio companies with operations and the development of new therapies. To date, Versant Ventures has completed 40 mergers and acquisitions, helped 34 companies go public through initial public offerings (IPOs), and manages approximately $3 billion in assets.

FUJIFILM, established in 1934 and headquartered in Japan, is a photography and imaging company. The company serves various industries, including healthcare, graphic arts, optics, enterprise storage, motion pictures, and photography.

(Compiled by Hu Yifan)