A Cambridge-based biotechnology company is advancing a new approach to cancer treatment after raising €47.5 million in its latest funding round. STORM Therapeutics, which focuses on RNA modifications, announced the Series C financing led by existing investors including M Ventures, Pfizer Ventures, and Taiho Ventures LLC. The total round amounts to $56 million, providing capital to progress clinical trials for its pipeline of epigenetic therapies targeting solid tumors.
The company’s technology targets RNA editing enzymes, specifically methyltransferases, to reprogram cancer cells by altering their genetic expression without changing DNA sequences. This method aims to stop tumor growth by blocking proteins that cancer cells rely on for survival. STORM’s lead drug candidate targets solid tumors, including lung and breast cancers, with the first human trials expected to begin later this year.
Investors in the round include IP Group plc and UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd., alongside Pfizer’s venture arm. The funding follows earlier rounds totaling €30 million, bringing STORM’s total raised to over €77 million since its 2017 founding. The company employs around 60 staff and operates from the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, a hub for biotech and life sciences research.
STORM’s approach differs from traditional chemotherapy by focusing on the molecular machinery that controls gene activity. Instead of killing cancer cells directly, its drugs aim to restore normal function to diseased cells. The company has already demonstrated preclinical efficacy in animal models, showing tumor regression in treated subjects.
With cancer remaining a leading cause of death worldwide, new therapeutic strategies are in high demand. STORM’s method could offer an alternative for patients who no longer respond to existing treatments. The next phase will test safety and preliminary efficacy in humans, a critical step before larger clinical studies.
Source: eu-startups.com