# Asher Biotherapeutics

Startup profile on Capital Atlas: https://capitalatlas.ai/startups/asher-biotherapeutics

- Industry: Biotechnology
- Headquarters: San Francisco, US
- Website: www.asherbio.com
- Total disclosed funding: $218M
- Latest round: Series C (Apr 3, 2024)
- Investors on record: 13

## About

Based in California, US, and founded in 2019, Asher Biotherapeutics, Inc. operates as a biotechnology company that develops precision immune-cell targeting therapeutics for patients with cancer, autoimmune disease, and infectious disease. The company was co-founded by Dr. Ivana Djuretic and Dr. Andy Yeung. In September 2021, Asher Biotherapeutics raised USD 108 million in Series B funding from Wellington Management, Logos Capital Partners, Third Rock Ventures, and undisclosed unspecified investors.

Asher Biotherapeutics provides cis-targeted immunotherapies that offer a new level of selectivity that delivers superior clinical outcomes and an improved safety profile. The company's platform is CIS-Targeting and TRANS-Targeting that focuses on two receptors on the same cell and two different cells. Asher Bio’s treatments target an immunomodulatory receptor and a marker found only in the immune cells it wants to activate. The company's lead program, AB248, is designed to activate CD8+ killer T cells while leaving other immune cells such as regulatory T cells, natural killer cells and endothelial cells alone. 

The company plans to use its Series B funding raised in September 2021 to lead cis-targeted immunotherapy, AB248, through clinical proof-of-concept, advance a second program through investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies and invest in its cis-targeting platform. Asher Biotherapeutics is also expecting to file an IND application for AB248 with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the third quarter of 2022.

## Funding rounds

- Series C, Apr 3, 2024, $55M — Wellington Management, Third Rock Ventures, AstraZeneca, RA Capital Management, Boxer Capital, Janus Henderson Investors
- Series B, Sep 1, 2021, $108M — Alexandria Venture Investments, Invus [DUP], Marshall Wace, Wellington Management, Third Rock Ventures, RA Capital Management, Boxer Capital, Mission Biocapital, Janus Henderson Investors, Logos Capital
- Series A, Mar 23, 2021, $55M — Invus [DUP], Third Rock Ventures, Y Combinator, MBC Ventures, Boxer Capital

## Investors

- Invus [DUP] — Series A, Series B
- Third Rock Ventures (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/third-rock-ventures) — Series A, Series B, Series C
- Y Combinator (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/y-combinator) — Series A
- MBC Ventures (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/mbc-ventures) — Series A
- Boxer Capital (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/boxer-capital) — Series A, Series B, Series C
- Alexandria Venture Investments (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/alexandria-venture-investments) — Series B
- Marshall Wace (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/marshall-wace) — Series B
- Wellington Management (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/wellington-management) — Series B, Series C
- RA Capital Management (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/ra-capital-management) — Series B, Series C
- Mission Biocapital (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/mission-biocapital) — Series B
- Janus Henderson Investors — Series B, Series C
- Logos Capital (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/logos-capital) — Series B
- AstraZeneca — Series C