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Jounce Therapeutics

Biotech & Life Sciences · Cambridge, United States · Founded 2013 · IPO 2017

Jounce Therapeutics, Inc. was a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that operated in the immuno-oncology market. Founded in 2013 by a team of world leaders in tumor immunology and cancer biology, including James P. Allison, who was later a co-recipient of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on cancer therapy. The company was launched with initial funding from life sciences investor Third Rock Ventures and was headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company's business model centered on the discovery and development of novel cancer immunotherapies and predictive biomarkers. Jounce utilized a proprietary Translational Science Platform to analyze the tumor microenvironment, which helped in prioritizing targets and identifying biomarkers to match therapies to the most suitable patients. Revenue generation was linked to the advancement of its product candidates through clinical trials and strategic collaborations, such as a major partnership with Celgene in 2016 and an exclusive license agreement with Gilead Sciences in 2020 for its JTX-1811 program. Jounce's pipeline included several monoclonal antibodies. Its most advanced product candidate was vopratelimab (formerly JTX-2011), an antibody designed to activate the ICOS protein on T-cells to stimulate an immune response against tumors. Another key program was JTX-8064, a LILRB2 receptor antagonist aimed at reprogramming immune-suppressive macrophages within tumors. The company also developed its own PD-1 inhibitor, pimivalimab (JTX-4014), intended for use in combination with its other pipeline assets. However, the company faced significant clinical setbacks, including disappointing results from Phase 2 trials for vopratelimab in 2020 and 2022, which led to a reevaluation of the program. Following these clinical trial failures and financial pressures, Jounce announced a 57% workforce reduction in February 2023. The company initially entered into a reverse merger agreement with Redx Pharma. This plan was soon superseded by an acquisition offer from Concentra Biosciences, LLC. In March 2023, Jounce agreed to be acquired by Concentra for approximately $97.5 million in cash plus contingent value rights. The acquisition was completed in May 2023, leading to further layoffs and the cessation of Jounce's clinical development programs. Keywords: Jounce Therapeutics, immuno-oncology, cancer immunotherapy, clinical-stage biotech, monoclonal antibodies, vopratelimab, JTX-8064, pimivalimab, Translational Science Platform, tumor microenvironment, James P. Allison, Concentra Biosciences acquisition, biopharmaceutical, cancer research, T-cell activation, ICOS antibody, LILRB2 antagonist, PD-1 inhibitor, oncology therapies, biomarker-driven therapy