Exciva's $59M Bet on a Novel Immuno-Oncology Mechanism

Exciva has secured a $59 million venture round to advance its pipeline of engineered protein therapies designed to reprogram the tumor microenvironment. The biotech is developing EXV-101, a first-in-class bispecific antibody that simultaneously targets a tumor-associated antigen and a receptor on immunosuppressive myeloid cells, aiming to convert them into an anti-cancer state. The capital will specifically fund a Phase 1/2 clinical trial for EXV-101 in solid tumors, along with IND-enabling studies for a second candidate. The round was led by a syndicate of specialist healthcare investors with a history of backing early-stage oncology platforms, though the lead was not named. Myeloid-targeting therapies are attracting significant investment as the immuno-oncology field seeks to overcome T-cell exhaustion.