BioCentury
ARTICLE | Financial News

Bellicum secures $55 million in series C

August 28, 2014 12:58 AM UTC

Bellicum Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Houston, Texas) secured $55 million in a series C round from 11 new investors, including RA Capital; Perceptive Advisors; Jennison Associates; Sabby Capital; Ridgeback Capital Management; venBio Select; Redmile Group; and AJU IB Investment. All of the companies' existing investors also participated, including AVG Ventures and Remeditex Ventures.

Bellicum's BPX-501 is in Phase I/II testing to treat graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients. The therapy comprises T cells containing Bellicum's CaspaCIDe gene, which allows elimination of cell treatments if they become toxic. The company's BPX-201 -- which comprises genetically modified, autologous dendritic cells containing Bellicum's DeCIDe on-switch gene -- is in a Phase I trial to treat metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). ...