Akamis Bio develops T‑SIGn® therapeutics, systemically administered virus‑based oncolytic immunotherapies that selectively replicate in colorectal tumor cells and deliver immune‑modulating payloads directly to the tumor microenvironment. By combining direct oncolysis with intratumoral production of antibodies, cytokines or bispecific proteins, these agents aim to enhance antitumor immunity and reduce the need for invasive surgery in locally advanced and metastatic colorectal cancer.
Funding
$60M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
SYFounders
Product
Problem
Colorectal cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death, and current treatments often require invasive surgery and provide limited durability, especially for patients with mismatch‑repair proficient locally advanced disease or metastatic disease.
Solution
Akamis Bio develops T‑SIGn® therapeutics—systemically administered, virus‑based oncolytic immunotherapies that selectively replicate in epithelial‑derived colorectal tumors. After intravenous infusion, the engineered adenovirus infects tumor cells, causing direct oncolysis while delivering immune‑modulating transgene payloads that remodel the tumor microenvironment. The intratumoral expression of antibodies, cytokines, bispecifics, or other synthetic proteins stimulates a robust antitumor immune response, enabling the patient’s immune system to recognize and clear malignant cells. These agents can be used as monotherapy or combined with standard chemoradiotherapy and other immuno‑oncology modalities to enhance efficacy. By sparing healthy tissue and allowing treatment of primary and metastatic sites, the platform aims to reduce the need for extensive surgery and improve quality of life for colorectal cancer patients.
Target Audience
Primary customers are oncology pharmaceutical companies and clinical research organizations developing therapies for colorectal cancer, as well as academic medical centers conducting early‑phase trials in locally advanced or metastatic disease.
Features
- Replication‑competent chimeric group B adenovirus backbone engineered for tumor‑specific infection of epithelial solid tumors
- Intravenous delivery enables treatment of both primary and metastatic lesions without invasive administration
- Dual mechanism: selective oncolysis plus intratumoral production of immunotherapeutic payloads (e.g., antibodies, cytokines, bispecifics)
- Payload flexibility allows customization for combination with chemoradiotherapy, cell therapies, bispecifics, or antibody‑drug conjugates
- Demonstrated tumor‑selective replication and transgene expression in preclinical models and early clinical safety/efficacy data for colorectal cancer
- Designed for systemic use in mismatch‑repair proficient locally advanced rectal cancer and metastatic colorectal cancer indications