Company focuses on activating key regulators of the immune system to control tissue inflammation and promote healing.
US biotech TRexBio has closed an oversubscribed Series B financing round, raising $84 million to accelerate its pipeline portfolio of therapies deigned to restore immune homeostasis in human tissues. The funding will support the clinical development of TRB-061, a novel TNFR2 agonist, through early clinical proof of concept, with plans to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial in the first half of 2025.
The new financing will also fuel the expansion of TRexBio’s wider therapeutic pipeline. While the company hasn’t yet disclosed specific indications, it reports having a “robust pipeline” addressing inflammatory and autoimmune diseases and fibrosis.
Based in South San Francisco, the core focus of TRexBio’s research lies in the vital role of regulatory T cells (Tregs), which act as regulators of the immune system and are essential in controlling tissue inflammation and promoting healing. The company, which specializes in the study of human immune biology, says it is addressing the gap where traditional animal models often fail to replicate human tissue immune dynamics accurately.
TRexBio leverages its proprietary platform to map and understand human tissue immune regulation, enabling the company to decode Treg behavior and identify new therapeutic targets with high precision. Rather than merely suppressing immune activity, TRexBio aims to achieve immune homeostasis, claiming its therapies have the potential to address unmet medical needs in conditions where the immune system’s role in tissue regulation is paramount.
TNFR2 is a receptor known for its significant expression of the most suppressive Tregs within tissues like the skin and gut. One of the company’s most advanced programs, TRB-061 selectively targets TNFR2, thereby activating these tissue-licensed Tregs to promote immune balance and address inflammation.
“The funding from this Series B financing enables us to enter the clinic early next year with TRB-061, and to start exploring the breadth of potential therapeutic applications for this novel therapy,” said Johnston Erwin, CEO of TRexBio. “We continue to believe that our unique, tissue-focused approach will enable first- and best-in-class programs with potential to address significant unmet patient need.”
The funding round was led by Delos Capital, with participation from new and existing investors, including Avego BioScience Capital, Agent Capital, Eli Lilly and Company, SV Health Investors, Pfizer Ventures, Johnson & Johnson, Alexandria Venture Investments and Polaris Partners.
“Regulatory T cells – and TRexBio’s lead program TRB-061 in particular – offer the potential to unlock a new pillar of therapeutic care for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases,” said Dr Eric Huang, a partner at Delos.
