Avammune Therapeutics racks up a major USD 12 million (~INR 102 crore) in Series A funding. That’s a significant vote of confidence in the healthtech startup’s immune-modulating small molecule therapies. Co-led by Capital 2B, Shastra VC and Kotak Lifesciences Fund I, the round also saw participation from IvyCap Ventures and returning investor 1Crowd. That kind of backing is a testament to Avammune’s potential to tackle some of the toughest health challenges out there.
Founded in 2020 by Arun B. Papaiah, Srinivasan Namala and Aditya Kulkarni, Avammune is focused on developing orally bioavailable small molecule drugs that modulate the innate immune system. That means targeting oncological and autoimmune indications where current treatments fall short. The company’s lead candidate, AVA-NP-695—an ENPP1 inhibitor—has shown remarkable anti-tumor activity in preclinical models of cancers like osteosarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma and triple-negative breast cancer. And in compassionate use protocols for veterinary cancer cases, it’s already shown efficacy.
Avammune Therapeutics’ core innovation strategy is to target the innate immune pathways—a rapidly growing frontier in immuno-oncology. ENPP1 inhibition is a relatively novel approach in that toolkit, and one that could reverse immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment. “This funding validates our extensive preclinical datasets and empowers us to accelerate the development of our lead program into the clinic for addressing critical unmet needs in oncology,” says co-founder and CEO Arun B. Papaiah.
That kind of validation is exactly what Avammune needs to move its pipeline forward. Chief Scientific Officer Aditya Kulkarni says AVA-NP-695 has a “best-in-class profile” with preclinical potency and translational potential that positions it as a competitive asset in the global immuno-oncology landscape.
Avammune’s pipeline also includes AVA-ADR, an ADAR1 p150 inhibitor with in vivo efficacy—a rare feat in RNA-editing enzyme inhibition. If successful, this could put Avammune at the forefront of a promising therapeutic space.
India’s biotech sector is surging right now. Other notable developments include Ahammune Biosciences‘ USD 5 million (~INR 42.34 crore) Series A for vitiligo trials and partnerships like Novo Nordisk’s collaboration with Indian startups for drug development analytics. And just last year, India celebrated the development of its first indigenous macrolide antibiotic, Nafithromycin—a sign of the country’s growing shift towards deep science innovation.
Avammune Therapeutics is well-positioned to capture a share of the global immuno-oncology market, valued at approximately USD 100 billion (~INR 8.46 lakh crore) and growing at 17% CAGR. The startup is focusing on rare and hard-to-treat cancers and immune-driven diseases. As investors increasingly back platform-based biotech models that deliver multiple assets from a unified discovery engine, Avammune is poised to reap the benefits.
Final Words
Avammune Therapeutics Series A fund will be used to start first in human clinical trials of AVA-NP-695 and advance its preclinical pipeline. This funding is a vote of confidence in the science and marks a big milestone in the company’s journey from preclinical innovation to translational development. As India becomes a hub for biopharma research, Avammune’s journey will be watched by investors and scientists globally. For more details related to IPO GMP, SEBI IPO Approval, and Live Subscription stay tuned to IPO Central.