TigaTx Secures $35.5M in ARPA-H and NIH Funding for Cancer and Infectious Disease Breakthroughs
Deal News | Dec 18, 2024 | Biogeneration Ventures (BGV)
TigaTx, a biotechnology company, has secured substantial funding from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) and the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) totaling up to $35.5 million. This funding will support TigaTx's initiatives in advancing a groundbreaking engineered Immunoglobulin A (IgA) monoclonal antibody platform aimed at addressing cancer and infectious diseases. The company's leading program, TIGA-001, an IgA anti-EGFR neutrophil engager, is set to move into clinical trials to generate clinical proof-of-concept data. Unlike traditional therapies, TigaTx's platform employs IgA to harness neutrophils' intrinsic cancer-fighting abilities, marking a potential paradigm shift in cancer treatment. Furthermore, funding will enable expansion of the IgA platform for infectious disease applications, focusing on secretory, dimeric IgA to tackle antibiotic-resistant bacteria and emerging viral threats. The company collaborates with prestigious institutions like Weill Cornell Medicine, Yale University, and Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center to validate and further develop the IgA platform. TigaTx's ambition stretches beyond oncology, with significant implications for global communicable disease management.
Sectors
- Biotechnology
- Pharmaceuticals
- Medical Research
Geography
- United States – TigaTx is based in Boston, Massachusetts, and the funding is provided by U.S. government agencies ARPA-H and NIH, situating the company's core activities within the United States.
- Israel – TigaTx's collaboration with Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem highlights the geographical involvement of Israeli research institutions in the development of its IgA platform.
Industry
- Biotechnology – TigaTx is a biotechnology company developing a therapeutic IgA platform, fitting into the biotech sector by researching and applying scientific advancements in biological substances for medical therapies.
- Pharmaceuticals – The company's focus on developing new therapeutic classes for cancer and infectious diseases aligns with the pharmaceutical industry, which involves the creation and manufacturing of medications.
- Medical Research – Collaborating with prestigious universities and conducting research to generate proof-of-concept data situates TigaTx within the medical research industry, which is focused on the innovation of new treatments.
Financials
- 33.5 million – Funding awarded by ARPA-H to TigaTx to support the development of their innovative IgA therapies.
- 2 million – A two-year SBIR grant awarded by NIH to TigaTx for cancer research under a specific National Cancer Institute grant.
Participants
| Name | Role | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| TigaTx, Inc. | Target Company | Company | A Boston-based biotechnology company developing engineered IgA monoclonal antibodies for cancer and infectious diseases. |
| Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) | Funding Source | Government | A U.S. government agency providing funding aimed at advancing health initiatives and technologies. |
| National Institutes of Health (NIH) | Funding Source | Government | The U.S. government's primary agency for biomedical and public health research, offering TigaTx a two-year research grant. |
| Weill Cornell Medicine | Collaborator | Company | A prestigious academic institution collaborating with TigaTx on its funded cancer research. |
| Yale University | Collaborator | Company | An Ivy League university in Connecticut partaking in TigaTx's IgA platform advancement. |
| Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center | Collaborator | Company | A leading Israeli medical research center involved in TigaTx's research initiatives for oncology. |
| Anne Altmeyer, Ph.D. | President and CEO | People | Leader of TigaTx, overseeing company operations and strategic direction as it leverages new funding. |
| Howard Stern, M.D., Ph.D. | Chief Scientific Officer | People | Chief Scientific Officer at TigaTx, guiding scientific research and development strategies. |