Business

Shennon raises USD 12m to advance three preclinical T-cell engagers

Shennon raises USD 12m to advance three preclinical T-cell engagers

San Francisco-based Shennon Biotechnologies has raised USD 12 million in a new financing round and simultaneously disclosed three oncology programs built on a proprietary T-cell engager (TCE) platform, bringing total capital raised since its 2021 founding to USD 25 million.

The round drew participation from Future Ventures, NextGen Venture Partners, Samos Investments, Atypical Ventures, and Saras Capital, alongside continued backing from existing investors DCVC, Foundation Capital, and AV8 Ventures. No lead investor was designated. The company said proceeds will support continued platform development and advancement of its pipeline toward the clinic. ShennonBio previously raised a USD 13 million seed round in March 2023, led by DCVC, with participation from Foundation Capital and AV8 Ventures.

Alongside the financing, the company appointed Cyril Konto as chief executive officer. Konto most recently served as president and CEO of Ichnos Glenmark Innovation, where he completed three external partnerships including an agreement with AbbVie for a Phase I trispecific T-cell engager valued at USD 700 million upfront and up to USD 1.9 billion in total potential value plus royalties. He previously held senior roles at Allogene Therapeutics, Pfizer, and Bristol Myers Squibb. Founder Li Sun, who holds a PhD in applied physics from David A. Weitz's lab at Harvard University, transitions to president and chief technology officer.

The AllSci BriefFree, systematic R&D and deal news. Daily.

Shennon's platform integrates four proprietary components: PINTRA for target discovery using human tumor datasets; TCELERATOR, an ultra-high-throughput functional screening system capable of evaluating more than 10 million single-cell interactions concurrently; AFFINIS for computational antibody and TCR binder design; and SERIS, an AI-enabled safety assessment tool for predicting off-target cross-reactivity. Scientific advisors include Joseph A. Fraietta of the University of Pennsylvania's Abramson Cancer Center, a T-cell therapy researcher.

The three disclosed programs are SBT-121, a dual-targeting trispecific antibody-based TCE in small cell lung cancer; SBT-201, an antibody-based TCE targeting ovarian cancer; and SBT-425, a TCR-based TCE for hepatocellular carcinoma. None has yet entered clinical trials. The company said it plans to advance a development candidate toward an investigational new drug filing and Phase I development within two years, while also pursuing licensing and platform partnership opportunities.


Spot something wrong? Report an issue with this article