Checkpoint and mate

Checkmate Pharmaceuticals Inc. is developing CpG oligonucleotide toll-like receptor 9 agonists to combine with checkpoint inhibitors to improve the proportion of patients whose cancers respond to treatment.

Emerging from stealth last week with a $20 million series A round, Checkmate is the latest company formed by serial oligonucleotide entrepreneur Arthur Krieg. As the CEO, he is aiming to address a deficiency of checkpoint inhibitors: They work only in patients whose immune systems are sufficiently active. ...