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Top 20 Cancer Immunotherapy startups in USA
Oct 02, 2025 | By Jason Kwon | 28 |
1
Funding: $3.9B
At Moderna, we are pioneering the development of a new class of drugs made of messenger RNA (mRNA). This novel drug platform builds on the discovery that modified mRNA can direct the body’s cellular machinery to produce nearly any protein of interest, from native proteins to antibodies and other entirely novel protein constructs that can have therapeutic activity inside and outside of cells.
At Moderna, we are pioneering the development of a new class of drugs made of messenger RNA (mRNA). This novel drug platform builds on the discovery that modified mRNA can direct the body’s cellular machinery to produce nearly any protein of interest, from native proteins to antibodies and other entirely novel protein constructs that can have therapeutic activity inside and outside of cells.
2
Funding: $1.6B
IOVANCE Biotherapeutics is focused on the development and commercialization of autologous cellular immunotherapies optimizing personalized, tumor-directed Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TIL)
IOVANCE Biotherapeutics is focused on the development and commercialization of autologous cellular immunotherapies optimizing personalized, tumor-directed Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TIL)
3
Funding: $1.4B
ImmunityBio is a privately held immunotherapy company with one of the broadest portfolios of biological molecules spanning albumin-linked chemotherapeutic, peptides, fusion proteins, cytokine, monoclonal antibodies, adenovirus and yeast vaccine therapies.
ImmunityBio is a privately held immunotherapy company with one of the broadest portfolios of biological molecules spanning albumin-linked chemotherapeutic, peptides, fusion proteins, cytokine, monoclonal antibodies, adenovirus and yeast vaccine therapies.
4
Funding: $1.4B
Kymera Therapeutics is a biotechnology company that specializes in the field of targeted protein degradation.
Kymera Therapeutics is a biotechnology company that specializes in the field of targeted protein degradation.
5
Funding: $1.3B
Arcus discovers and develops innovative cancer immunotherapies based on known but under-exploited biology. Arcus’s lead program targets the adenosine pathway, which has been shown to play a significant role in driving immuno-suppression in the tumor micro-environment.
Arcus discovers and develops innovative cancer immunotherapies based on known but under-exploited biology. Arcus’s lead program targets the adenosine pathway, which has been shown to play a significant role in driving immuno-suppression in the tumor micro-environment.
6
Funding: $1.3B
Fate Therapeutics is a stem cell and developmental biology research company using biological mechanisms to develop stem cell therapeutics.
Fate Therapeutics is a stem cell and developmental biology research company using biological mechanisms to develop stem cell therapeutics.
7
Funding: $917.7M
Using our proprietary Antibody-Coupled T-cell Receptor (ACTR) technology, we are discovering and developing new cellular immunotherapies for cancer. The company doesn’t intend to make its own antibodies in-house, but rather align with various companies that want to enhance their experimental antibody drugs.
Using our proprietary Antibody-Coupled T-cell Receptor (ACTR) technology, we are discovering and developing new cellular immunotherapies for cancer. The company doesn’t intend to make its own antibodies in-house, but rather align with various companies that want to enhance their experimental antibody drugs.
8
Funding: $898.9M
Janux Therapeutics develops immunotherapies that generates immune responses to prevent tumors and not affecting a patient’s healthy tissue.
Janux Therapeutics develops immunotherapies that generates immune responses to prevent tumors and not affecting a patient’s healthy tissue.
9
Funding: $700M
Odyssey Therapeutics is a computational immunology company that develops novel therapeutics for patients with autoimmune diseases.
Odyssey Therapeutics is a computational immunology company that develops novel therapeutics for patients with autoimmune diseases.
10
Funding: $694.1M
IDEAYA is an oncology-focused biotechnology company committed to the discovery of breakthrough synthetic lethality medicines for genetically defined patient populations and immuno-oncology therapies targeting immuno-metabolism and innate immunity.
IDEAYA is an oncology-focused biotechnology company committed to the discovery of breakthrough synthetic lethality medicines for genetically defined patient populations and immuno-oncology therapies targeting immuno-metabolism and innate immunity.
11
Funding: $652M
Apogee Therapeutics operates pipeline candidates designed to treat inflammatory and immunological disorders.
Apogee Therapeutics operates pipeline candidates designed to treat inflammatory and immunological disorders.
12
Funding: $545.9M
Nurix develops small molecule inhibitors for the treatment of proliferative and degenerative diseases.
Nurix develops small molecule inhibitors for the treatment of proliferative and degenerative diseases.
13
Funding: $535.8M
Atara Biotherapeutics is a leading off-the-shelf, allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy company developing novel treatments for patients with cancer, autoimmune and viral diseases, multiple sclerosis (MS).
Atara Biotherapeutics is a leading off-the-shelf, allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy company developing novel treatments for patients with cancer, autoimmune and viral diseases, multiple sclerosis (MS).
14
Funding: $520.6M
We’ve created a pipeline of novel vaccine and immunotherapy programs that stimulate the T cell arm of the immune system, which is increasingly recognized as critical to generating protective immune responses against a wide array of diseases.
We’ve created a pipeline of novel vaccine and immunotherapy programs that stimulate the T cell arm of the immune system, which is increasingly recognized as critical to generating protective immune responses against a wide array of diseases.
15
Funding: $414.8M
Abcuro develops first-in-class immunotherapies to treat autoimmunity and cancer.
Abcuro develops first-in-class immunotherapies to treat autoimmunity and cancer.
16
Funding: $397M
Evelo is pioneering therapies that modulate systemic immune response by acting on the gut-body network - monoclonal microbials. They have the potential to treat many diseases, including inflammatory disease, cancer, autoimmune disease, metabolic, neurobehavior and neuroinflammatory diseases.
Evelo is pioneering therapies that modulate systemic immune response by acting on the gut-body network - monoclonal microbials. They have the potential to treat many diseases, including inflammatory disease, cancer, autoimmune disease, metabolic, neurobehavior and neuroinflammatory diseases.
17
Funding: $347.9M
Atreca develops a technology to identify the set of antibodies produced during an immune response, without prior knowledge of an antigen.
Atreca develops a technology to identify the set of antibodies produced during an immune response, without prior knowledge of an antigen.
18
Funding: $337M
Ziopharm oncology is a biotechnology company that acquires, develops, and commercializes cancer therapies.
Ziopharm oncology is a biotechnology company that acquires, develops, and commercializes cancer therapies.
19
Funding: $335.4M
Kite Pharma is a development-stage biotechnology company designing and developing immune-based therapies to treat cancer indications. Acquired by Gilead Sciences
Kite Pharma is a development-stage biotechnology company designing and developing immune-based therapies to treat cancer indications. Acquired by Gilead Sciences
20
Funding: $329.2M
ALX Oncology is a preclinical stage biotechnology company developing innovative immuno-oncology therapies for cancer.
ALX Oncology is a preclinical stage biotechnology company developing innovative immuno-oncology therapies for cancer.
