EpiBiologics Raises $107M Series B to Advance Novel EGFR-Targeting Bispecific Antibody EPI-326 into Clinical Trials
核心洞察
EpiBiologics (搜索) completed a $107 million Series B financing co-led by GV (搜索) and Johnson & Johnson to advance its pipeline of tissue-selective bispecific antibodies for protein degradation.
The company's lead program EPI-326 (搜索) is a mutation-agnostic bispecific antibody that degrades all oncogenic forms of EGFR (搜索) while sparing healthy tissue.
EpiBiologics (搜索) plans to initiate first-in-human clinical trials of EPI-326 (搜索) in early 2026 for non-small cell lung cancer and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
EpiBiologics (搜索), a leader in tissue-selective extracellular protein degradation, has completed a $107 million Series B financing to advance its pipeline of novel bispecific antibodies targeting disease-driving proteins in oncology and immunology. The round was co-led by GV (搜索) (Google Ventures) and Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc (JJDC), with participation from new investors including Novartis Venture Fund (搜索), Aulis Capital, Avego BioScience Capital, and Samsara BioCapital.
Lead Program Targets EGFR-Driven Cancers
The financing will primarily support the advancement of EpiBiologics (搜索)' lead program, EPI-326 (搜索), into first-in-human clinical trials scheduled for early 2026. EPI-326 is a tissue-selective bispecific antibody designed to degrade all oncogenic forms of EGFR (搜索) (epidermal growth factor receptor) in a mutation-agnostic manner.
"Our lead program, EPI-326 (搜索), is moving rapidly to the clinic as a highly differentiated therapeutic to address substantial unmet needs for patients with EGFR (搜索)-driven cancers," said Ann Lee-Karlon, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of EpiBiologics (搜索).
The therapeutic candidate overcomes limitations of existing EGFR (搜索) therapies by localizing protein degradation specifically to tumor tissue while sparing normal healthy tissue. In preclinical studies, EPI-326 (搜索) demonstrated strong and durable efficacy with favorable safety and pharmacokinetics profiles, enabling potential use as both monotherapy and in combination approaches across multiple cancer types.
Clinical Development Strategy
EpiBiologics (搜索) plans to initiate the first-in-human clinical trial of EPI-326 (搜索) in early 2026, focusing on two key indications: non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Both cancer types are frequently driven by EGFR (搜索) mutations and overexpression, representing significant areas of unmet medical need.
To support its clinical transition, the company has strengthened its leadership team with two key appointments in 2025: Eric Humke, M.D. Ph.D., as Chief Medical Officer, and Aaron Mishel as Chief Financial Officer, both bringing extensive biopharma leadership expertise.
Proprietary EpiTAC Platform Technology
The company's approach is built on its proprietary EpiTAC platform, a modular bispecific antibody system that enables targeted degradation of disease-driving extracellular proteins in a tissue-specific manner. This next-generation protein degradation technology targets extracellular membrane and soluble proteins, differentiating it from traditional intracellular protein degradation approaches.
EpiBiologics (搜索) was founded on pioneering research from scientific founder Dr. Jim Wells of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). The platform aims to develop first-in-class and best-in-class targeted therapies across multiple therapeutic areas, including oncology and immunology.
Investor Confidence and Board Expansion
The Series B financing reflects strong investor confidence in the company's scientific approach and clinical potential. David Schenkein, M.D., General Partner at GV (搜索), commented: "As an early investor, I've been impressed by EpiBiologics (搜索)' rapid scientific and operational progress as they've built the EpiTAC platform and portfolio in oncology, immunology, and beyond."
Concurrent with the financing, EpiBiologics (搜索) welcomed new board members including Anika Gupta Vatsa, Ph.D. from GV (搜索), Laura Brass, Ph.D. from Novartis Venture Fund (搜索), Gaurav Aggarwal, M.D. from Vivo Capital, and a representative from JJDC. Additional investors Nisa Leung from Aulis, Eric Pham, Ph.D. from Avego, and Mitchell Mutz, Ph.D. from Samsara will join as board observers.
The San Francisco Bay Area-based company continues to build its capabilities as it advances toward clinical development, positioning itself at the forefront of extracellular protein degradation therapeutics.