# Harbour BioMed Partner, Solstice Oncology, announces $225 Million Series A Financing to Advance Porustobart, a Neoadjuvant Immuno-Oncology Therapy

- Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/pr-news/harbour-biomed-partner-solstice-oncology-announces-225-million-series-a-financing-to-advance-porustobart-a-neoadjuvant-immuno-oncology-therapy
- Published: 2026-09-09T18:12:00+07:00
- Author: PR Newswire

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 ◦ **_Porustobart, a second-generation Fc-enhanced CTLA-4 antibody, is being advanced
   across two clinical indications in the neoadjuvant setting, beginning with MSS
   clinical stage II-III colon cancer_**
 ◦ **_Phase 2 trial of porustobart for colon cancer will be open for enrollment 
   early in the fourth quarter of 2026_**
 ◦ **_Financing led by RA Capital Management, joined by Canaan Partners, Forbion
   and other investors_**

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., ROTTERDAM, Netherlands and SHANGHAI, Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/—
Harbour BioMed (the "Company"; HKEX: 02142), a global biopharmaceutical company 
committed to the discovery and development of novel antibody therapeutics in immunology,
oncology and other areas, today announced that Solstice Oncology, its partner company,
has launched with a $225 million Series A financing led by RA Capital Management,
with participation from Canaan Partners, Forbion and other investors. Solstice is
a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company focused on treating cancer earlier, in 
the neoadjuvant setting.

Solstice is advancing its lead candidate porustobart, a differentiated, second-generation,
Fc-enhanced cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) antibody, across
two clinical indications, one in microsatellite-stable (MSS) colon cancer and a 
second, undisclosed indication. Its Phase 2 trial is evaluating porustobart in combination
with pembrolizumab in the neoadjuvant setting for the treatment of MSS clinical 
stage II-III colon cancer, the indication with the largest segment of colon cancer
patients, which has yet to benefit from immunotherapy.

Porustobart was discovered and developed by Harbour BioMed. In February 2026, Harbour
BioMed entered into a license agreement and equity partnership with Solstice Oncology
for the exclusive development and commercialization of porustobart (also known as
HBM4003 in Harbour BioMed’s pipeline) outside Greater China, enabling the advancement
of the program globally.

In a Phase 2 clinical study conducted by Harbour BioMed, porustobart in combination
with tislelizumab, a PD-1 inhibitor, demonstrated a 30% objective response rate (
7 of 23 patients) in late-line patients with MSS metastatic colorectal cancer without
liver metastases, with responses showing encouraging durability. The median duration
of response was 8.4 months, and porustobart demonstrated a favorable safety profile
supporting its continued clinical development. These findings provide clinical support
for further evaluating porustobart in combination with PD-(L)1 blockade and in earlier
lines of treatment, including the neoadjuvant setting.

"We are pleased to see Solstice Oncology launch with strong support from leading
investors and advance porustobart into the neoadjuvant setting," said Dr. Jingsong
Wang, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Harbour BioMed. "As the originator of porustobart
and a partner of Solstice, we look forward to supporting the continued development
of this differentiated CTLA-4 antibody and exploring its potential to benefit patients
worldwide."

"We believe the greatest opportunity in oncology lies in treating disease earlier,
in the neoadjuvant setting, when the tumor is still present, the immune system is
still intact, and disease hasn’t yet hardened its resistance to treatment," said
Caroline Loew, PhD, CEO of Solstice Oncology. "Treating patients early with an immuno-
oncology combination therapy like the one we are evaluating in our Phase 2 trial
could allow the immune response to act systemically, reaching micrometastatic disease
well beyond the primary tumor, which is where we see the greatest opportunity to
improve cure rates and long-term survival. Since founding the company in February,
our team has moved with the speed and discipline this opportunity demands, filing
and clearing an IND and now advancing directly into a Phase 2 trial, for which we
anticipate data in the second half of 2027."

**About Harbour BioMed**

Harbour BioMed (HKEX: 02142) is a global biopharmaceutical company committed to 
the discovery and development of novel antibody therapeutics in immunology, oncology
and other areas. The Company is building a robust portfolio and differentiated pipeline
through internal R&D capability, strategic global collaborations in co-discovery
and co-development, and selective acquisitions.

Our proprietary antibody technology platform, Harbour Mice^(®), generates fully 
human monoclonal antibodies in both the conventional two heavy and two light chain(
H2L2) format and the heavy chain-only (HCAb) format. Building upon HCAb antibodies,
the HCAb-based immune cell engagers (HBICE^(®)) bispecific antibody technology enables
tumor-killing effects that traditional combination therapies cannot achieve. The
HCAb-based Antibody Plus technology (HCAb PLUS^(TM)) provides comprehensive modality
solutions for the development of innovative multi-specific medicines in different
disease areas. Additionally, building upon the Harbour Mice^(®) platform, Harbour
BioMed launched its first fully human Generative AI HCAb Model powered by its Hu-
mAtrIx^(TM) AI platform, accelerating the development of innovative therapies.

By integrating Harbour Mice^(®), HBICE^(®), HCAb PLUS^(TM), a single B-cell cloning
platform and AI technologies, Harbour BioMed has built a highly efficient and distinctive
antibody discovery engine for developing next-generation therapeutic antibodies.
For more information, please visit [www.harbourbiomed.com](http://www.harbourbiomed.com/).

**About Solstice Oncology**

Solstice Oncology is a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company built around the neoadjuvant
treatment setting, the point in a patient’s disease course where the company believes
the opportunity to improve cure rates and long-term survival is greatest. Founded
in February 2026, Solstice is led by a team with decades of experience building 
and advancing successful immunotherapy drugs in oncology. The company is advancing
porustobart, a second-generation, Fc-enhanced CTLA-4 antibody, across two clinical
indications: a Phase 2 study in combination with pembrolizumab in the neoadjuvant
setting for clinical stage II-III MSS colon cancer, and a second, undisclosed clinical
indication. Solstice’s initial investors include RA Capital, Canaan Partners, and
Forbion. For more information, visit [www.solsticeoncology.com](https://www.solsticeoncology.com/).

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