News and Press

Led by General Atlantic, funding will expand novel scientific platform and advance proprietary pipeline of ImmTAX™ molecules into the clinic

(Oxfordshire, UK and Conshohocken, Pa. and Rockville, Md., US, 2 March 2020) Immunocore, a pioneering, clinical-stage T cell receptor biotechnology company working to develop and commercialize a new generation of transformative medicines to address unmet needs in cancer, infection and autoimmune disease, today announced the completion of its Series B private financing round, generating more than $130 million.

Immunocore’s Series B round is led by General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm and new investor in Immunocore. Other new investors participating in this round include CCB International, JDRF T1D Fund, Rock Springs Capital, Terra Magnum Capital Partners and WuXi AppTec’s Corporate Venture Fund. Five existing shareholders in the Company, including Eli Lilly and Company and RTW Investments, are also participating, as well as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through conversion of its outstanding loan note.

The proceeds will enable Immunocore to further expand and accelerate its rapidly growing clinical stage pipeline of ImmTAX™ (Immune mobilising monoclonal TCRs Against Cancer, Infectious Diseases and Autoimmune) molecules that includes three oncology programs in MAGE-A4 (in collaboration with Genentech), NYESO-1 (in collaboration with GSK), and the lead program tebentafusp (IMCgp100), which is in pivotal clinical studies as a potential treatment for patients with metastatic uveal melanoma.

The proceeds will allow the company to advance two wholly owned clinical-stage internal programs for chronic Hepatitis B and for PRAME, a target expressed in a wide range of tumors. This investment is also expected to accelerate Immunocore’s novel platform to treat autoimmunity, including type one diabetes (in collaboration with the JDRF T1D Fund), advance the TCR platform and expand its database of rich and novel targets.

Bahija Jallal, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and Director of Immunocore, commented: “We are extremely pleased that General Atlantic is leading our Series B round and welcome them, along with our new investors, to Immunocore. This new funding – from an international cadre of health care investors joined by some of our existing shareholders – represents a further endorsement of our unique and powerful platform technology, our novel class of TCR-based biologic therapies, the accomplished scientists at Immunocore and our mission to transform the lives of people with serious diseases.”

Rob Perez, Operating Partner, General Atlantic, said: “We are pleased to partner with Immunocore at this key time in its development, with lead candidate tebentafusp on the cusp of commercialization and two further assets in the clinic. We are excited by the broad applicability of the science within the Company’s ImmTAX™ platform and the Company’s promising pipeline across oncology, infectious and autoimmune diseases. We look forward to providing impactful support to Immunocore as it continues on its strong growth trajectory.”