Immunotherapy Focused NextCure Updates Its Filing for $93 Million IPO

Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, NextCure, has updated its filing for an IPO to raise up to $93 million. The company has applied to trade on NASDAQ under the symbol, "NXTC”.

NextCure is developing novel immuno-based therapies for cancer and other immune related diseases. They view the immune system holistically seek to understanding biological pathways, the interactions of cells and the role each interaction plays in an immune response. The company currently has four development programs and two specific products in its pipeline.

Its most advanced product, NC318, is in Ph I trials. NC318 is a monoclonal antibody, a first-in-class immunomedicine, targeting Siglec-15 (S15), a novel immunomodulatory protein which is expressed on highly immunosuppressive cells called M2 macrophages and on tumor cells. In preclinical research, it was observed that S15 promotes suppression of T cell proliferation and negatively regulates T cell function. NC318 was designed to block S15-mediated immune suppression and restore T cell function and anti-tumor immunity in the TME, which the company believe will reduce and kill tumors.

NextCure is led by Michael Richman. Richman was most recently president and CEO of Amplimune which was acquired by AstraZeneca in 2013. He founded NextCure in 2015.