Ticaros
Next-generation immunotherapies for intractable cancer treatment.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor investor investor | €0.0 | round | |
* | KRW25.0b | Series C | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Ticaros is a South Korean biotechnology company founded in June 2018, specializing in the development of next-generation immunotherapeutics for intractable cancers. The company was co-founded by Jae Won Lee (CEO), who has a background in finance and biotech, and professors from Seoul National University's College of Medicine, Kyung Ho Choi (CTO) and Eun Young Choi (CSO), both esteemed immunologists. The company leverages the extensive research experience and technologies from the university to develop its cancer treatments.
Ticaros is focused on advancing Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies, a form of personalized medicine where a patient's T-cells are genetically engineered to target and destroy cancer cells. The company has developed three proprietary platform technologies to overcome the current limitations of CAR-T therapy, especially for solid tumors which constitute about 90% of all cancers. These platforms are: CLIP-CAR, which enhances the binding between CAR-T cells and tumor cells; Converter-CAR, which boosts T-cell activity by turning an inhibitory signal into an activation signal; and Switchable-CAR, which improves safety by using an adapter to control CAR-T activity.
The company's business model revolves around the research, development, and eventual commercialization of these advanced cell therapies. Its primary market is oncology, with a focus on both hematologic malignancies (blood cancers) and solid tumors. Ticaros's lead pipeline product, TC011, is a CLIP-CAR-based therapy targeting lymphoma and received Investigational New Drug (IND) approval in South Korea for Phase I & II clinical trials. The company has established multiple R&D partnerships, including with the National Cancer Center in Korea and Cartherics in Australia, to advance its platforms and pipelines. As a privately held, venture capital-backed firm, Ticaros has successfully raised significant funding through several rounds, including a Series C round that brought its total funding to over $24 million by August 2021.
Keywords: CAR-T cell therapy, immunotherapeutics, oncology, cancer treatment, biotechnology, solid tumors, hematologic malignancies, gene therapy, cell therapy, Seoul National University, CLIP-CAR, Converter-CAR, Switchable-CAR, TC011, Jae Won Lee, Kyung Ho Choi, Eun Young Choi, cancer research, immunotherapy, lymphoma