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Zenas Raises $200m For Bifunctional Antibody In Autoimmune Diseases

Obexelimab Is In Phase III In IgG4-Related Disease

 
• By Mandy Jackson

Zenas BioPharma plans to have data from four trials – two under way and two starting this summer – for obexelimab, which targets CD19 and FcγRIIb, within about a year and a half.

Investors. Shareholders, co-owners. Startups and fundraising.
Zenas will increase its headcount by 20% • Source: Shutterstock

Zenas BioPharma is ahead of the pack compared with most companies advancing CD19-targeting therapeutics for autoimmune diseases, with plans to report Phase III results in IgG4-related disease and Phase II results in three other indications within the next year and a half or so. The company announced on 7 May that it closed a $200m series C venture capital round to finance the ambitious development program for its bifunctional antibody obexelimab while keeping an eye out for other potential drug candidates.

Key Takeaways

  • Zenas BioPharma raised a $200m series C venture capital round to generate data across four autoimmune diseases for its bifunctional antibody obexelimab targeting CD19 and FcγRIIb.

  • The company has one of the most advanced CD19-targeting programs in the clinic for immunological diseases, a field where many companies have rushed in recently

Scrip spoke with Zenas co-founder and CEO Lonnie Moulder about obexelimab, which the company in-licensed from Xencor, Inc. in late 2021, and its unique mechanism of action targeting both CD19 and FcγRIIb to inhibit the activity of B cells, plasmablasts and CD19-expressing plasma cells. (Also see "Asia Deal Watch: Astellas Looks To Next-Gen AAV Vectors Despite Gene Therapy Clinical Setbacks" - Scrip, 3 December, 2021

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