Strand Therapeutics, a company at the forefront of programmable mRNA therapeutics, has successfully raised $153 million in Series B funding, bringing its total capital to over $250 million. This significant investment, led by Kinnevik and backed by a mix of new and existing investors including Amgen Ventures and Regeneron Ventures, will be used to accelerate the company's pipeline and its mission to deliver targeted, next-generation mRNA therapies to patients.

A key focus for this funding is the advancement of Strand's lead candidate, STX-001, an experimental therapy for advanced solid tumors. The company recently shared promising initial Phase 1 clinical data for STX-001 at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting. This therapy is unique because it uses self-replicating mRNA to express the cytokine interleukin-12 (IL-12) directly within the tumor, a strategy designed to reprogram the tumor's microenvironment and stimulate a widespread anti-tumor immune response. Initial trial results have shown encouraging anti-tumor activity, including cases of complete and partial responses, as well as prolonged disease stabilization in difficult-to-treat patients.

Beyond STX-001, Strand is also developing STX-003, a groundbreaking systemically administered mRNA therapy. The company has presented preclinical data showing that STX-003 can deliver its therapeutic payload specifically to tumors while avoiding healthy tissues, a major challenge for many systemic cancer treatments. This precision is achieved through a sophisticated "genetic circuit" platform that Strand has pioneered. The success of this platform could be a game-changer, allowing for the systemic delivery of potent cytokines like IL-12 without the typical toxic side effects. This new funding will not only support the ongoing clinical work for STX-001 but will also help propel these next-generation assets, expanding the potential of programmable mRNA technology to treat a wide range of cancers and other diseases.