Samsara BioCapital

Normunity is a biotechnology company focused on developing precision immuno-oncology medicines, specifically a new class known as immune normalizers. These medicines aim to target novel mechanisms that enhance the body’s natural immune response against cancer. In collaboration with the lab of Dr. Lieping Chen at Yale School of Medicine, Normunity is researching newly-discovered mechanisms of immune disruption in cancer, utilizing proprietary discovery platforms to explore the intricate interactions between cancer and the immune system. The company is advancing a pipeline of immune normalizers, which includes initial drug programs designed to address the exclusion of T-cells from immune-sensitive tumors and other factors that impede normal immune function in cancer. Normunity operates from locations in Boston, Massachusetts, and West Haven, Connecticut.

Simcha Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company developing engineered cytokine immunotherapy for cancer. The company uses directed evolution to engineer novel cytokines designed to unlock the precision and power of the immune system. Simcha’s lead program, ST-067, is a designer IL-18 cytokine that has shown potent antitumor effects in animal models, both as a monotherapy and when combined with anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors, as described in Nature in June 2020. It was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in New Haven, Connecticut, USA.

SpringWorks Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing medicines for underserved patient populations affected by rare diseases and cancer. The company employs a precision medicine approach and has a diverse portfolio of small molecule targeted oncology products. Its lead candidate, nirogacestat, an oral gamma secretase inhibitor, is currently in Phase III clinical trials for desmoid tumors. Additionally, SpringWorks is advancing several other product candidates, including mirdametinib, an oral MEK inhibitor in Phase IIb trials for neurofibromatosis type 1-associated plexiform neurofibromas, and various combinations involving nirogacestat for multiple myeloma. The company has established collaborations with organizations such as BeiGene, GlaxoSmithKline, and Allogene, aimed at enhancing the development of its therapies. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, SpringWorks is committed to unlocking the potential of its pipeline to provide innovative solutions for patients suffering from cancer and rare diseases.