£26.1m to test AI-designed vaccine to prevent recurrence after oesophageal cancer surgery
This article covers Infinitopes, an Oxford biotech startup, closing a growth funding round of £26.1m to advance clinical development of its precision cancer vaccine ITOP1 and to finance a first-in-human Phase I/IIa trial aimed at preventing recurrence after surgery for oesophageal cancer. The funding supports the transition from preclinical work to a randomised, placebo-controlled trial at UK NHS university cancer centres and targets patients at risk of postoperative recurrence.
Infinitopes, an Oxford biotech startup, has closed a growth funding round of £26.1m ($35.1m) to advance clinical development of its precision cancer vaccine ITOP1 and finance a first-in-human Phase I/IIa trial aimed at preventing recurrence after surgery for oesophageal cancer. The transaction brings new strategic backers onto the cap table and supports a randomised, placebo-controlled study across UK NHS university cancer centres.
Why it matters
The funding converts preclinical work into a clinical test of a next-generation cancer vaccine at a time when interest in therapeutic vaccines and immunotherapy combinations is rising. Oesophageal cancer carries a high risk of recurrence after surgical resection, and there are limited licensed therapies that specifically aim to prevent relapse. A successful trial would provide an early read on whether an AI-driven, precision approach can produce clinically meaningful immune responses and reduce recurrence risk.
The round also highlights continued flows of capital into UK clinical-stage biotech companies, and the participation of a major patient charity signals growing non-dilutive and philanthropic support for translational cancer research.
Inside the product
ITOP1 is described by the company as a precision therapeutic vaccine assembled using AI and machine-learning immunomics to identify targets, paired with an off-the-shelf vector intended to be broadly manufacturable. The VISTA Phase I/IIa trial is double-blind, randomised and placebo-controlled, designed to evaluate safety, target engagement and early efficacy signals in patients who have undergone surgery for oesophageal cancer.
Early-stage vaccine work often struggles on manufacturability and patient selection. Infinitopes is positioning its platform to address both by combining computational antigen selection with a standardised vector format, aiming to reduce time and cost compared with bespoke personalised vaccines. The trial will run at multiple UK NHS university cancer centres, which could speed recruitment and align with existing surgical pathways.
Who are the investors?
The second close was co-led by Octopus Ventures and Amplify Bio. New investors include Macmillan Cancer Support and Amplify Bio, while existing backers Cancer Research Horizons and Manta Ray Ventures also participated. The round adds approximately £11.4m ($15.4m) to prior seed financing, taking the total to £26.1m ($35.1m).
The participation of Macmillan Cancer Support brings a patient-focused funder onto the cap table; Cancer Research Horizons is Cancer Research UK’s innovation arm; Manta Ray Ventures is an established healthcare investor; Octopus Ventures is active in European health investments; and Amplify Bio is a US West Coast biofund adding transatlantic venture support.
In the announcement, Elliot Hershberg, Partner at Amplify Bio, said:
Recent clinical evidence has made it abundantly clear that the time for cancer vaccines is now. After years of searching, Infinitopes has clearly distinguished itself as the company positioned to drive this progress forward. The combination of rigorous AI-powered immunomics profiling, a highly scalable off-the-shelf vector, and a defined clinical strategy is exactly what this field needs. Infinitopes has the potential to redefine immunotherapy and precision oncology in the years to come.
If you're researching potential backers in this space:
- Explore our list of biotech venture capital firms in the UK
- Browse our directory of biotech angel investors in the UK
Founder perspective
In the announcement, Jonathan Kwok, Chief Executive Officer of Infinitopes, said:
I’m honoured to welcome leading US West Coast biofund Amplify Bio and ecosystem champions for better patient care, Macmillan, onto our cap table. This new funding unlocks our potentially groundbreaking Phase I/IIa trial, enabling proof-of-concept evaluation of Infinitopes’ AI/ML-precision targeted, off-the-shelf vaccine platform to prevent recurrence after surgical resection. We aim to lead the development of innovative medicines that bring hope to patients suffering from cancers with unmet medical needs. We anticipate sharing our early findings at major conferences later this year.
Kwok’s comments frame the raise as both a scientific and strategic step: funding the VISTA trial and adding investors that can support development and later commercial strategy.
The bigger picture
Infinitopes’ raise sits within a wider trend of renewed investor interest in cancer vaccines and immune-oncology platforms that use computational approaches to antigen selection. For UK biotech, the deal illustrates how domestic clinical programmes can attract international venture capital alongside patient charities and research foundations.
If ITOP1 can show convincing safety and biological activity, the pathway to later-stage trials will require larger, multi-centre studies and likely combination strategies with other immunotherapies. For now, the money secures the company’s next clinical milestone and keeps the UK in the frame for early-stage innovation in precision oncology.
This financing underlines the role of NHS-linked clinical sites, charitable partners and cross-border investors in advancing UK clinical-stage biotech — a model likely to be repeated as other teams push AI-led therapies towards first human studies.
They've invested in Infinitopes
Get to know these biotech investors
Click here for a full list of 7,526+ startup investors in the UK