Epitopea
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersCambridge, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Epitopea firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Epitopea
- Legal name
- Epitopea Limited
- Website
- https://www.epitopea.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Epitopea industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cancer Immunotherapies
- NAICS
- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)
- SIC
- Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Therapeutic Vaccines (cancer, chronic infection immunotherapy) (HLAAAEAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Target Identification & Validation Platforms (omics-driven, chemoproteomics, genetic validation) (HLAAAIAI), Therapeutic Vaccines (e.g., Cancer/Chronic Infection) (HLAIAEAG)
Keywords
Where Epitopea is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Epitopea business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- RNA Immunotherapy Pipeline: Epitopea is a pre-revenue clinical-stage biotech company developing a pipeline of RNA-based cancer immunotherapies. Revenue will be generated through eventual product sales upon regulatory approval, as well as through milestone payments and royalties from strategic partnerships and licensing agreements.
- Strategic Partnerships & Collaborations: Revenue through research collaboration payments, upfront fees, milestone payments (up to $300M per product with MSD), and potential royalties from developed therapeutics.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Epitopea product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Epitopea develops off-the-shelf RNA-based cancer immunotherapies targeting novel tumor-specific antigens called Cryptigens. Its proprietary CryptoMap discovery platform uses spatial immunopeptidomics, genomics, and bioinformatics to identify approximately 100 aberrantly expressed tumor-specific antigens (aeTSAs) per tumor type that are shared across patients. These Cryptigen TSAs feed into the CryptiVax pipeline of mRNA therapeutic vaccines, with lead candidate CryptiVax-1001 in Phase I/Ib clinical development for high-grade serous ovarian cancer.
Product overview
Epitopea operates as a platform-driven biotech company developing off-the-shelf RNA-based cancer immunotherapies. The company's core offering is the CryptoMap™ discovery platform, which identifies shared aberrantly expressed tumor-specific antigens called Cryptigen™ TSAs hidden in cancer's 'junk DNA'. These Cryptigen™ TSAs feed into the CryptiVax™ pipeline, the company's most advanced candidate being CryptiVax-1001, an mRNA therapeutic vaccine currently in Phase I/Ib clinical development for high-grade serous ovarian cancer. The platform enables identification of approximately 100 antigens per tumor type, supporting broad patient coverage with off-the-shelf treatments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CryptoMap: Proprietary discovery platform that identifies shared, aberrantly expressed tumor-specific antigens (aeTSAs) called Cryptigen TSAs, using spatial immunopeptidomics, genomics, and systems bioinformatics.
- Cryptigen
- CryptiVax
Products and services
- CryptoMap™ discovery platform Proprietary discovery platform that identifies shared, aberrantly expressed tumor-specific antigens (aeTSAs), known as Cryptigen™ TSAs, using spatial immunopeptidomics, genomics, and systems bioinformatics. The platform identifies approximately 100 aberrantly expressed tumor-specific antigens per tumor type. Licensed to strategic partners such as MSD (Merck) for the discovery of Cryptigen TSAs in undisclosed solid tumor indications.
- CryptiVax-1001 Lead off-the-shelf mRNA therapeutic vaccine targeting advanced high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). Currently in Phase I/Ib clinical trial (OVACT) evaluating safety, tolerability, immunogenicity, and early clinical activity in HRP+/BRCA-wildtype patients. Designed to drive targeted immune responses using Cryptigen tumor-specific antigens chosen for broad patient coverage.
- CryptiVax™ pipeline Pipeline of RNA-based cancer immunotherapeutics (including therapeutic vaccines, T cell receptor-based therapies, and other modalities) utilizing Cryptigen™ TSAs as targets for hard-to-treat solid tumors such as ovarian and lung cancer.
Quantifiable outcome
- OVACT Phase I/Ib clinical trial approved by MHRA and Regional Ethics Committee for CryptiVax-1001 in advanced high-grade serous ovarian cancer
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Epitopea
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Epitopea technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Epitopea partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- MSD (Merck)coreLicense and research collaboration agreement for identification of Cryptigen tumor-specific antigens in an undisclosed solid tumor. Epitopea deploys CryptoMap platform to identify novel Cryptigen TSAs. MSD has exclusive rights to develop and commercialize therapeutics. Epitopea receives undisclosed upfront payment and is eligible for milestone payments up to $300 million per product.
- Genevant SciencescoreCollaboration and non-exclusive license agreement for lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery technology. Genevant grants Epitopea worldwide non-exclusive license for LNP technology to develop mRNA-LNP immunotherapies targeting Cryptigen TSAs for an undisclosed oncology indication. Genevant eligible for up to $123.5 million per product in upfront and milestone payments plus royalties.
- CQDMcoreCollaborative research project between Epitopea and Université de Montréal to develop and validate CryptoMap platform. Funded by $1,499,457 CAD grant from Quebec government. Project aims to identify novel Cryptigen sets from patients with diverse origins for universal RNA cancer vaccines targeting lung and ovarian cancers.
- Université de MontréalcoreExclusive license for CryptoMap platform technology developed by Drs. Claude Perreault and Pierre Thibault at the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC). Research collaboration for continued platform development and validation.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Epitopea competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Moderna: Moderna is the leading mRNA therapeutics company and a direct competitor in mRNA-based cancer vaccines (e.g., mRNA-4157/V940 in melanoma). Its Intis Meranmod platform and extensive oncology pipeline compete head-to-head with Epitopea's RNA cancer vaccine approach.
- BioNTech: BioNTech is a pioneer in mRNA cancer vaccines (including individualized neoantigen programs like BNT122) and shares Epitopea's strategic positioning around RNA-based immuno-oncology. Comparable platform business model with pharma partnerships and internal pipeline assets.
- CureVac: CureVac is an mRNA technology company developing cancer vaccines and other RNA-based therapeutics. Klaus Edvardsen (Epitopea's CMO) previously led development at CureVac, and the companies pursue overlapping cancer immunotherapy modalities.
- Nykode Therapeutics: Nykode is a clinical-stage Norwegian biotech developing off-the-shelf therapeutic cancer vaccines using its modular Vaccibody DNA/plasmid platform. Klaus Edvardsen was previously Chief Development Officer at Nykode, and the company is directly comparable in modality and clinical stage.
- Gritstone bio: Gritstone bio develops neoantigen-based cancer vaccines (e.g., GRANITE and SLATE programs) using self-amplifying RNA and chimpanzee adenovirus delivery. Comparable therapeutic modality and tumor-specific antigen targeting strategy.
Emerging players
- Elicio Therapeutics: Elicio is a clinical-stage company developing AMP-platform cancer vaccines that deliver immunogens to lymph nodes, with overlapping focus on tumor-specific antigen vaccines for solid tumors. Smaller and earlier-stage than Epitopea but directly comparable in cancer vaccine modality.
- Nouscom: Nouscom is a clinical-stage biotech developing off-the-shelf neoantigen cancer vaccines using viral vectors and a similar shared-antigen discovery approach. Comparable clinical stage, modality, and target patient population to Epitopea's CryptiVax pipeline.
Broad incumbents
- Genmab: Genmab is an established antibody-based immuno-oncology company (with products including bispecifics like epcoritamab). Klaus Edvardsen previously held a senior oncology role at Genmab, and the company represents a broad incumbent in immuno-oncology adjacent to Epitopea's RNA cancer vaccine space.
- Merck KGaA: Merck KGaA is a diversified life-sciences and pharma incumbent with significant oncology R&D. Klaus Edvardsen was previously SVP, Head of Global Oncology Development at Merck KgaA; the company is a broad incumbent whose mRNA/cancer vaccine efforts overlap Epitopea's competitive space.
- AstraZeneca: AstraZeneca is a top-tier oncology pharma whose approved checkpoint inhibitors and ADCs (Imfinzi, Enhertu) and active cancer vaccine programs (e.g., the Boehringer Ingelheim/Genmab partnership) make it a broad incumbent comparable to Epitopea's large-pharma counterparties.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Epitopea social profiles
Digital presenceEpitopea financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Epitopea leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Epitopea funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors10 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Epitopea M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Epitopea
What does Epitopea do?
Epitopea develops off-the-shelf RNA-based cancer immunotherapies targeting novel tumor-specific antigens called Cryptigens. Its proprietary CryptoMap discovery platform uses spatial immunopeptidomics, genomics, and bioinformatics to identify approximately 100 aberrantly expressed tumor-specific antigens (aeTSAs) per tumor type that are shared across patients. These Cryptigen TSAs feed into the CryptiVax pipeline of mRNA therapeutic vaccines, with lead candidate CryptiVax-1001 in Phase I/Ib clinical development for high-grade serous ovarian cancer.
Is Epitopea a public or private company?
Epitopea is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Epitopea founded?
Epitopea was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Epitopea based?
Epitopea is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Epitopea make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. RNA Immunotherapy Pipeline is the primary driver. The others are strategic Partnerships & Collaborations.
Who are Epitopea's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Moderna, BioNTech, CureVac, Nykode Therapeutics and Gritstone bio. Emerging players are Elicio Therapeutics and Nouscom. Broad incumbents are Genmab, Merck KGaA and AstraZeneca.
Does Epitopea have an API?
No public API is recorded for Epitopea.
What industry is Epitopea in?
Epitopea's product category is Cancer Immunotherapies. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAEAB, Therapeutic Vaccines (cancer, chronic infection immunotherapy), with a secondary code of HLAAAIAI, Target Identification & Validation Platforms (omics-driven, chemoproteomics, genetic validation). Its NAICS code is 325414 and its SIC code is 2836.