Synthetic Immunotherapy Edges towards Market

Cancer immunotherapy producer Tollys, developer of TL-532 the first specific agonist of Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) cancer immunotherapy, has closed a Series A funding round totalling €2.3 million ($2.5M). This brings the total amount raised to €6.4M ($6.8M) since the company was founded in 2015. Current shareholders and new private investors joined the round. The proceeds will be used to advance the preclinical development of TL-532. The proceeds will be used to manufacture TL-532 and launch the regulatory safety studies required before entry into clinical trials in bladder cancer by late 21/early 22.

Three new executives have also joined the company’s president Jacques-François Martin on the board of directors. Independent members Dr. Dino Dina, a former CEO of Dynavax corporation and of Chiron Vaccines and Mr Philippe Goupit, a biotech and pharmaceutical industry veteran, are joined by Ms Céline Baque Saint-Olive, CEO of Noraker and a representative of Tollys private investors.

“Tollys is excited to have attracted the support of its series A investors and to have three new highly experienced industry executives on our board,” Jacques-François Martin said. “This is a strong endorsement of our company, our vision and our capabilities in delivering on TL-532, a new cancer immunotherapy which has demonstrated much promise.”

TL-532 is a specific TLR3 agonist with a triple mechanism of action: it induces the death by apoptosis of cancer cells, which releases a myriad of tumour specific antigens, while also activating the immune system to mount a T-cell immune response against these tumour antigens and finally it modifies the tumour microenvironment by producing cytokines and chemokines, which are unfavourable to tumour development. The newly generated T-cells then kill the remaining cancer cells and prevent the recurrence of caner via a vaccination mechanism.

While the TLR3 receptor is a validated cancer target, TLR3 agonists have yet to reach the market. TL-532 is the first synthetic TLR3 agonist with a fully defined double-stranded RNA sequence, making it easier to manufacture. As such, TL-532 has the potential to be best-in-class and first-to-market, the Lyon-based company said.