Nouscom Raises €120M to Advance a Potential Cancer-Preventing Immunotherapy

Swiss biotechnology company Nouscom has secured €120 million in an oversubscribed Series D financing to advance its experimental immunotherapy programme towards a pivotal clinical trial. The round was co-led by M Ventures and Revelation Partners, with new investment from Angelini Industries, the European Investment Bank and Neva SGR. All existing investors also participated. <Cite refs={["turn943020search0","turn943020search8"]}/>

The financing will primarily support NOUS-209, an investigational vaccine designed to train the immune system to recognise abnormal cells before they develop into cancer. Nouscom is prioritising its use in people with Lynch syndrome, an inherited condition that substantially increases the lifetime risk of colorectal and several other cancers.

Unlike treatments intended to shrink established tumours, NOUS-209 is being developed around the concept of cancer interception. The approach aims to help the immune system identify precancerous cells early, potentially preventing disease from developing in the first place.

The vaccine uses two engineered viral vectors to deliver 209 shared frameshift peptide neoantigens. These markers arise from genetic errors associated with certain cancers and can help the immune system distinguish abnormal cells from healthy tissue. The treatment is designed to generate a targeted T-cell response against cells carrying these cancer-associated markers. <Cite refs={["turn943020search0","turn943020search6"]}/>

Lynch syndrome is a particularly important target because affected individuals face elevated cancer risks throughout their lives. Current management relies heavily on regular surveillance, including colonoscopies, and preventive procedures where appropriate. Nouscom hopes that an immunotherapy approach could eventually offer an additional way to reduce this burden.

Early clinical findings have provided encouragement, although the treatment remains investigational and its ability to prevent cancer must be established through further controlled trials. In a Phase 1b/2 study, participants who could be evaluated remained free of advanced adenomas and colorectal cancer at the reported first- and second-year follow-ups. Researchers also observed broad and persistent immune responses, which increased following repeat vaccination. <Cite refs={["turn943020search0","turn943020search8"]}/>

The company plans to use the new capital to move NOUS-209 into a global, registration-enabling clinical trial for people with Lynch syndrome. The programme has received Fast Track designation from the US Food and Drug Administration, a status intended to facilitate the development and review of treatments addressing serious conditions with unmet medical needs. It does not constitute approval of the therapy. <Cite refs={["turn943020search0","turn943020search6"]}/>

Led by CEO Marina Udier, Nouscom draws on expertise in immunology, vaccine development and engineered viral-vector technology. The company operates in Basel, Switzerland, and Rome, Italy, and is also developing NOUS-PEV, a personalised neoantigen immunotherapy for solid tumours. <Cite refs={["turn943020search2","turn943020search6"]}/>

The latest financing gives Nouscom the resources to focus on a clinical strategy aimed at stopping cancer before it becomes established. If subsequent trials confirm the early findings, NOUS-209 could represent a new approach to managing inherited cancer risk beyond surveillance and surgery alone.