Link Cell Therapies Launches Clinical Trial and Secures $90M Funding

The lead program, LNK001, addresses a critical hurdle in oncology by requiring the co-expression of two antigens, CAIX and ENPP3. While CAIX is highly expressed in renal cell tumors, conventional CAR-T therapies often struggle with toxicity in healthy biliary tissue. By utilizing a logic-gating mechanism, Link aims to preserve antitumor efficacy while minimizing damage to healthy cells, with manufacturing handled by the CTMC joint venture.

To support this clinical expansion and a planned 2027 colorectal cancer trial, the company raised an additional $30 million in Series A funding. This capital injection follows the appointment of Jie D'Elia as CEO, Friedrich Graf Finckenstein as Chief Medical Officer, and the transition of co-founder Brian Slingerland to Executive Chair. D'Elia, previously of SystImmune and Bristol Myers Squibb, brings a track record of managing significant strategic partnerships, while Finckenstein joins from Iovance Biotherapeutics following his work on the approval of the first solid tumor cell therapy.