Brenus Pharma Secures $25M for Precision Cancer Vaccine Trials

Brenus Pharma, a biotech firm based in Lyon, France, has successfully closed a $25 million Series A funding round. The financing was spearheaded by Angelor, an investment fund comprising investors from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Key contributors included UI Investissement for the Fonds régional Avenir industrie Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Crédit Agricole Centre-France, Crédit Agricole Centre-Est, and two family offices. Additionally, Belgian funds Noshaq and Investsud participated in the deal. Long-time investors such as Jacques Gardette of BIOJAG and Stéphane Legastelois also continued their support. Brenus Pharma has also benefited from non-dilutive funding from the French government and Bpifrance, as part of the France 2030 initiative.

Jacques Gardette, Chairman of BIOJAG, commented on the achievement, noting the significant step forward for Brenus Pharma. He emphasized the company's dedication to innovation and resilience in the biotech sector, particularly after the successful sale of Biocorp to Novo Nordisk in 2023. Gardette lauded the Brenus team for laying a strong foundation to tackle complex therapeutic challenges.

The newly acquired funds will be allocated to advance the STC-1010 cancer vaccine's proof-of-concept in first-line treatment settings for metastatic colorectal cancer patients. STC-1010 is the inaugural candidate derived from Brenus Pharma's STC 'Stimulated-Tumor-(ghost)-Cells' technology platform. This innovative platform aims to offer a new type of precision treatment by enabling patients' immune systems to preempt the progression of their disease.

Marie Chambodut, Partner and Investment Director at Angelor, expressed pride in leading this strategic transaction. She highlighted the potential of STC-1010 and the broader STC platform to transform Brenus Pharma into a global player in precision immuno-oncology, addressing the needs of patients facing treatment failures.

Hélène Sabatel, Investment Manager at Noshaq, expressed enthusiasm about supporting Brenus Pharma and their cutting-edge technological platform. She mentioned the future impact on patients currently without effective therapeutic solutions and the impending establishment of a Brenus R&D branch in the Liège region, fostering Franco-Belgian collaboration in the biotech sector.

The funding will facilitate the deployment of the STC platform in humans by the end of the year, beginning with STC-1010 for patients with unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer resistant to immunotherapies. Moreover, STC-1010 will be extended to other types of gastric tumors, such as those in the pancreas and liver. Brenus Pharma also plans to accelerate the development of its portfolio for other solid tumor indications, with STC-1020 being its next candidate in development.

Paul Bravetti, CEO of Brenus Pharma, welcomed the new investors, marking this as a critical milestone for the company. He emphasized the potential of the STC platform and STC-1010, which have already shown promising efficacy in preclinical models. Bravetti thanked his team for their dedication and hard work, aiming to position the platform as a leader in next-generation cancer immunotherapies.

Brenus Pharma's advanced technology aims to address a significant public health challenge, where 90% of patients treated for solid tumors face relapse. Brenus Pharma’s technology not only targets immediate tumor threats but also educates the immune system to recognize and destroy future tumors, reducing relapse risks. Their standardized, ready-to-use production process ensures rapid availability for patients at controlled costs, surpassing personalized approaches and autologous vaccines.

The phase I/IIA “BreAK-CRC” study for STC-1010 is under review by European regulatory authorities and will involve expert clinicians in early-phase immuno-oncology units in Europe and later in the United States. This study aims to confirm the therapeutic potential of STC-1010 based on positive preclinical results. The study will evaluate the tolerability and efficacy of STC-1010, focusing on progression-free survival at 12 months, immune response, and circulating tumor DNA dynamics.

Brenus Pharma specializes in developing proteomics-guided allogeneic cancer vaccines for solid tumors. Their STC 'Stimulated-Tumor-(ghost)-Cell' platform emulates tumor cell relapse conditions to educate the immune system to anticipate and destroy emerging tumor cells, aiming to revolutionize oncology treatments.