USA – Accent Therapeutics, a Lexington, MA-based biopharmaceutical company developing breakthrough treatments for cancer patients, completed a $63m Series B financing.
The round was led by EcoR1 Capital with participation by GV, AbbVie Ventures, The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research, NS Investment and Droia Ventures as well as existing investors, Atlas Venture and The Column Group. The company intends to use the funds to advance the development of its novel therapies targeting RNA-modifying proteins (RMPs), including its lead programs METTL3 and ADAR1, and to continue to expand its pipeline in the rich target space of RNA modification. Led by Shakti Narayan, CEO, Accent Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company developing oncology-focused, small molecule therapies in the emerging field of RNA modification. This field of biology encompasses post-transcriptional chemical modifications of RNA that provide cells with a unique mechanism for regulating proteins critical for cellular growth and differentiation. By targeting cancer-linked RMPs with precision therapies, the company aims to translate science into life-changing therapies for patients. Since launching in 2018, Accent has advanced a broad pipeline of programs, including its two lead programs – METTL3 and ADAR1. METTL3 is an RNA methyltransferase implicated in AML, specific solid tumors and immuno-oncology. ADAR1 is an RNA editor with compelling validation for solid tumors with elevated intrinsic Type I interferon-stimulated gene signaling (comprising ~15-30% of solid tumors) and has also been suggested to play a key role in immuno-oncology. 24/04/2020
