Centivax Raises $37 Million in New Funding Round
Centivax, a biotechnology company based in South San Francisco, California, has raised $37 million in a recent financing round. The company, which focuses on developing vaccines and therapies for universal protection against diverse disease targets, announced that the round was led by Structure Fund. Other participants included Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Sigmas Group, Kendall Capital Partners, and Patrick and John Collison.
Company Leadership
Centivax was founded by Jacob Glanville, who also serves as the CEO and President. The founding team includes Sawsan Youssef, the Chief Science Officer and Co-Founder, and Stephanie Wisner, who is the Co-Founder, Treasurer, and Chief Business Officer.
Goals for the Funding
The newly acquired funds will be used to push forward the Phase 2 clinical development of Centivax's universal influenza vaccine, Centi-Flu 01. This vaccine is designed to target conserved regions of the influenza virus, potentially providing broad protection across multiple strains and even pandemic variants. The company has already completed enrollment for its initial Phase 1 clinical trials, which are expected to report results in 2026.
In addition to the influenza vaccine, Centivax plans to use the funding to advance four other programs within its universal immunity platform. These include a cancer therapy, a malaria vaccine, a universal antivenom, and a preventative approach for Alzheimer’s disease. The company is also working on implementing a scalable, cell-free manufacturing process, aiming to reduce production time and costs.
Future Steps
Looking ahead, Centivax plans to initiate a 500-subject Phase 2 trial for its flu vaccine in early 2027. This trial will assess the vaccine's immune response and compare its performance against existing vaccines. The company's broader focus remains on developing solutions that provide durable, universal protection against various infectious and chronic diseases.
This financing marks a significant step forward for Centivax as it continues to develop its groundbreaking vaccine and therapy solutions.