Syncona Expands Portfolio with Investments in iOnctura and Yellowstone, Two Cancer-Focused Biotechs

1. Syncona's Portfolio Expansion: Syncona has added two new cancer-focused biotechs, iOnctura and Yellowstone, to its portfolio, further expanding its presence in the biotechnology sector.
2. iOnctura Investment: Syncona led an €80 million series B financing round for iOnctura, investing €30 million and acquiring a 23% stake in the company. iOnctura is a Netherlands-based biotech focused on developing lead asset roginolisib, an allosteric modulator of PI3Kδ, which has shown promising efficacy in uveal melanoma and other indications.
3. Yellowstone Investment: Syncona invested £16.5 million in series A funding for Yellowstone, a UK-based biotech pioneering soluble bispecific TCR-based therapies targeting HLA class II expression in various cancers. Yellowstone's lead program focuses on acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and plans to expand to other indications.
4. Therapeutic Focus: iOnctura's roginolisib targets the PI3Kδ pathway, while Yellowstone's therapies aim to unlock a new class of cancer therapeutics by targeting HLA class II presented peptides on cancer cells.
5. Future Plans: iOnctura plans to use the new funding to advance roginolisib into further clinical trials, including non-small cell lung cancer and primary myelofibrosis. Yellowstone will build its pipeline and expand its research into various cancer types.