Preparing to Initiate Clinical Development in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies in the First Quarter of 2025
Series B Financing Funds AUTX-703 Development through Phase 1 Clinical Proof-of-Concept
Expanding KAT2A/B Target Opportunity into Autoimmune Indications
NEWTON, Mass., Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Auron Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company targeting cell-state plasticity to improve patient outcomes in oncology and inflammatory disease, today announced progress for its lead KAT2A/B program and clinical candidate, AUTX-703, and the completion of a $27 million Series B financing.
Auron has received clearance of its Investigational New Drug (IND) application by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is initiating clinical development of AUTX-703 in hematological malignancies. AUTX-703 is a novel, first-in-class, oral KAT2A/B degrader discovered and developed by Auron using its AURIGIN™ Platform. Last December, at the 2024 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, the Company presented preclinical data supporting the ability of AUTX-703 to provide a significant survival advantage in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). In addition, the Company intends to study AUTX-703 in patients with solid tumors such as neuroendocrine prostate and small-cell lung cancer.
Proceeds from the raise will be used to advance AUTX-703 through a Phase 1 clinical proof-of-concept trial in AML, which will begin enrolling patients in the first quarter of this year. In addition, funds will be used to evaluate the therapeutic potential of targeting KAT2A/B in autoimmune disease and advance drug discovery efforts of novel EMT tumor targets identified using AURIGIN.
“I’m proud of the work the Auron team has done establishing a strong product profile for AUTX-703, using an innovative approach to cell state biology to tackle some of the deadliest cancers,” said Kate Yen, Ph.D., Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Auron. “With the funding from this raise, we’re ready to advance AUTX-703 into clinical trials for hematological malignancies and evaluate the promising potential of KAT2A/B in treating inflammatory conditions, all in pursuit of our mission to deliver transformative medicines to patients.”
“The power of Auron’s approach lies in its ability to leverage novel biological insights, enabling the discovery of validated therapeutic targets, optimized model systems for early de-risking, and biomarkers that guide precise patient selection,” said Serge Messerlian, Operating Partner at DCVC Bio and Auron Board Director. “As the demand for targeted therapies and patient-specific trials continues to grow, Auron is uniquely positioned to address these critical needs. We are very impressed by the progress made across the Company’s founding scientific hypothesis, novel platform, and pipeline, led by AUTX-703, and are excited to collaborate with Kate and the Auron team in this next phase of their growth.”
The Series B financing was led by DCVC Bio with additional support from Apollo Health Ventures, Arkin Bio Ventures, BrightEdge (the investment arm of the American Cancer Society), Casdin Capital, Franklin Berger, Mubadala Capital, Polaris Partners and Qiming Venture Partners USA.
About Auron Therapeutics
Auron Therapeutics is a platform-powered, product-driven company targeting cell-state plasticity to improve patient outcomes in oncology and inflammatory disease. Auron pioneered its AURIGIN™ platform, which uses AI and machine learning to compare cell states and identify novel drug targets, optimal development models, and biomarkers to facilitate proper patient selection, ultimately accelerating the development of effective and durable therapies. Using AURIGIN, the Company is building a pipeline of small molecule targeted therapies, led by a first-in-class, oral KAT2A/B degrader, AUTX-703, which is being developed for the treatment of both hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. For more information, please visit aurontx.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
Investor Contact:
Renee Leck
THRUST Strategic Communications
renee@thrustsc.com
Media Contact:
Carly Scaduto
Carly Scaduto Consulting
Carly@carlyscadutoconsulting.com
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