TOLREMO Therapeutics secures USD 39 Million in Series A funding to fight non-genetic cancer drug resistance

20.09.2023 11:18, Rita Longobardi

BioMedPartners led the round with participation from a new investor, Pierre Fabre Invest, as well as existing investors. TOLREMO’s mission is to stop non-genetic cancer drug resistance as it emerges by dismantling cancer's earliest defences to targeted therapies, thus surmounting a universal challenge for current and future targeted treatments.

With their lead candidate, the TT125-802, a small molecule drug that can be taken orally, TOLREMO Therapeutics is making significant strides in the fight against cancer drug resistance. This drug acts by blocking critical pathways responsible for cancer's early resistance to targeted therapies, effectively stopping cancer from escaping treatment. 

The funding will enable TOLREMO to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial, where they will assess the safety, how the drug behaves in the body (pharmacokinetics), how it affects the body (pharmacodynamics), and early signs of the effectiveness of TT125-802 in various solid tumour types. This is a crucial step in determining if the drug can effectively combat cancer's early defences. Stepwise, TOLREMO will then advance to evaluating TT125-802 in combination with targeted therapies such as KRAS, EGFR or AR inhibitors in specific advanced solid tumour indications.

"Cancer drug resistance is a major impediment to the long-term survival of patients and is most often addressed in the later stages of treatment when genetic mutations have already rendered the cancer permanently impervious to therapy. At TOLREMO, we have developed TT125-802 to specifically block early, non-genetic resistance pathways to targeted treatments. In combination with therapeutic agents, such as KRAS, EGFR, AR inhibitors, or other targeted therapies, TT125-802 has the potential to prevent therapy evasion and significantly improve treatment durability," said Stefanie Flückiger-Mangual, CEO and Co-founder of TOLREMO. "We value the continued commitment from our current investors and warmly welcome Pierre Fabre Laboratories, the second largest private French pharmaceutical group, into our syndicate of investors through their dedicated investment body. With this strong support, we aim to advance the development of TT125-802 to bring long-term benefits to cancer patients," continued Stefanie.

TOLREMO was selected as a participant in the Venture Leaders Life Sciences 2020 and was ranked among the TOP 100 Swiss Startups from 2018 to 2022.

"Venture Leaders was a fantastic program that allowed me to expand my professional network to the Boston-based venture capital ecosystem," said Stefanie.

Alessandra Cesano (Consulting CMO), Charles-Henry Fabritius (Head of Chemistry), Stefanie Flückiger-Mangual (CEO), and Claudia Escher (COO)