SURGE Therapeutics has developed a biodegradable hydrogel that delivers localized cancer immunotherapy during surgical tumor resection, targeting residual cancer cells to prevent post-surgical recurrence and metastasis. This approach addresses the issue of immune suppression caused by surgery, which contributes to over 40% of patients experiencing relapse within five years.
Funding
$58M 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.
BVFounders
Product
Problem
Surgical removal of solid tumors, while a standard treatment, often leads to local recurrence and distant metastasis in over 40% of patients within five years. This is partly due to surgery-induced inflammation that suppresses the immune system and allows residual cancer cells to reawaken and proliferate.
Solution
SURGE Therapeutics is developing a biodegradable hydrogel designed for intraoperative delivery of localized cancer immunotherapy. The hydrogel is injected into the surgical site after tumor resection, providing sustained release of immunotherapeutic agents directly to the area where residual cancer cells are most likely to persist. By concentrating the immunotherapy dose at the surgical margin, SURGE aims to stimulate the patient's immune system to eliminate remaining cancer cells, both locally and distally, thereby preventing recurrence and metastasis. This approach seeks to counteract surgery-induced immune suppression and improve long-term survival outcomes for cancer patients.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes cancer patients undergoing surgical tumor resection and oncologists seeking to improve post-surgical outcomes and reduce the risk of recurrence.
Features
- Biodegradable hydrogel matrix for controlled and sustained release of immunotherapeutic agents.
- Localized delivery directly to the surgical site, maximizing drug concentration at the tumor margin.
- Designed to counteract surgery-induced immune suppression.
- Potential to stimulate both local and systemic anti-tumor immune responses.