Sairopa

About Sairopa

Sairopa B.V. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, that develops therapeutic antibodies to treat cancer by modulating the patient's immune system. The company was founded in 2021. In April 2021, Sairopa acquired a portfolio of therapeutic antibodies from Chinook Therapeutics, a transaction backed by Van Herk Investments. These antibodies were originally developed by BioNovion/Aduro Biotech Europe. In March 2024, Van Herk Investments solidified its support by purchasing the minority share position previously held by Novartis, which had acquired them through its acquisition of Chinook Therapeutics. The company is managed by Dharminder Singh Chahal, who was involved in its founding and financing. He also serves as CEO and co-founder of SkylineDx, a diagnostics company in oncology. The Chief Business Officer and Chief Financial Officer is Gurvinder Singh Chahal, who has a background in corporate banking. Co-founder Hans van Eenennaam, who has a track record in developing therapies in immunology and immune oncology, is a co-inventor of several notable antibodies, including pembrolizumab (Keytruda™). Sairopa's business model is centered on the research and development of its antibody pipeline, engaging in strategic collaborations with larger pharmaceutical companies for clinical development and commercialization. A key partnership is an exclusive clinical development and option agreement with Exelixis for ADU-1805. This agreement included an upfront payment of $40 million to Sairopa, with subsequent milestone payments. For instance, the Investigational New Drug (IND) clearance from the U.S. FDA for ADU-1805 triggered a $35 million milestone payment. The company's pipeline targets various elements of the cancer-immunity cycle. Key assets include: * **ADU-1805**: A monoclonal antibody targeting SIRPα. It is designed to be active against all human alleles of SIRPα, potentially allowing it to treat a broader patient population. It blocks the SIRPα-CD47 interaction, which cancer cells use to evade the immune system, thereby enabling macrophages to attack tumor cells. A Phase 1 clinical trial is evaluating its safety and pharmacokinetics in adults with advanced solid tumors. * **ADU-1604**: An anti-CTLA4 antibody that recently finished a Phase 1 study for melanoma. A Phase 2 trial is planned for 2025. * **SIRPα-PD-L1 bispecific antibody**: A preclinical program with a planned IND filing in 2026.