Imcyse, the Liège-based biotech company specialising in the development of treatments for serious autoimmune diseases, has released an equity share to the American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer following a fund-raising round of 21.3 million euros.

In early February, Imcyse announced that it had entered into a (research and licensing) collaboration agreement with Pfizer on Imcyse's imotope technology for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

The biotech is deploying an original immunotherapy platform based on Imotope TM technology. Imotopes (modified peptides) can induce cells (cytolytic T cells) that specifically eliminate the disease pathway, while preserving the rest of the immune system. Imcyse is running five programmes on this basis (Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, coeliac disease and rheumatoid arthritis). This new approach offers potential hope of a cure for these serious autoimmune diseases, which currently have no satisfactory treatment.

The fundraising will serve as an accelerator for the advancement of several immunotherapies and allow the biotech to push forward with its ongoing programmes.

Imcyse's objective is to be a major player in specific immunotherapy; it remains open to new partnerships and investors to continue to support its development and expansion in the United States.