T‑Knife Secures €66 Million Series A to Power Off‑The‑Shelf T‑Cell Therapy for Solid Tumors
Berlin‑born T‑Cell start‑up T‑Knife GmbH announces a €66 m Series A close led by Versant Ventures and RA Capital Management, with backing from Andera Partners and Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund. The fresh cash will push the firm into the clinic stage for its first solid‑tumor TCR‑T cell programmes.
From Academic Labs to Commercial Reality
The company launched in 2018 out of the Max‑Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité University Hospital. Its core tech is a humanised T‑cell‑receptor (HuTCR) mouse platform that carries the entire human TCRαβ gene loci, pioneered by Dr. Thomas Blankenstein — co‑founder and science officer. Because these mice naturally select powerful TCRs without negative thymic culling, the resulting receptors are razor‑sharp, high‑affinity and just the right fit for the human immune system. The move could outpace current TCR platforms in tackling stubborn solid cancers.
CEO on the Funding Milestone
Elisa Kieback, CEO and co‑founder, said, “After years of quietly developing a powerful humanised mouse platform that bears the whole human TCR loci, it’s a huge win to see validated support from distinguished life‑science firms like Versant and RA Capital. We’re also extremely grateful to our founding investors, Andera and BIVF, who’ve been true partners from day one.”
She added that the company aims to become a trans‑Atlantic force by opening a U.S. office and expanding its senior team.
What the Funding Will Power
- Take four lead programmes into clinical trials.
- Ramp up pre‑clinical work on other pipeline candidates.
- Explore novel tumour antigens and discover new TCRs.
Board and Advisors
New board members include Josh Resnick (RA Capital), Alex Mayweg (Versant Ventures), Olivier Litzka (Andera Partners), Frank Kalkbrenner (BIVF), Thomas Blankenstein, and Elisa Kieback. Blueprint Life Science Group advised the raise; CMS handled legal matters. Goodwin Procter advised the new investors.
Investor Quotes
Alex Mayweg (Versant): “CAR‑T has dazzled in blood cancers, but its jump to solid tumours has lagged. T‑Knife’s TCR‑T therapy hits the MHC‑locked tumour antigens—a rare capability. We’re thrilled to co‑lead and bring this game‑changer to the market.”
Josh Resnick (RA Capital): “A great addition to our portfolio. With the money on the board, we’re geared up to fast‑track T‑Knife’s promising therapies to patients who need them.”
Olivier Litzka (Andera): “Seeing T‑Knife grow from a seed round to a strong Series A is inspiring. I’m proud to join a team that’s on track to become a leader in cell therapy.”
Next‑Step: Regulatory Clearance
The deal will finalize once government and anti‑trust gates clear the path.
In short, T‑Knife is positioning itself as a next‑gen platform for solid‑tumour treatments—turning a secret‑lab mouse into a clinical‑ground TCR‑T cell powerhouse.
