What Trillium Therapeutics does

Trillium Therapeutics was a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2004 and headquartered in Toronto, Canada, that developed novel cancer immunotherapies, with its core scientific focus on the CD47 receptor pathway. CD47 is a 'don't eat me' immune checkpoint signal that cancer cells exploit to evade macrophage-mediated destruction; Trillium's lead asset, maplirpacept (PF-07958013), was an investigational CD47 blocker evaluated in blood cancers and B-cell malignancies. The company's pipeline also included PF-08046052, an EGFR-targeting T-cell engager for solid tumors, and PF-07905428, an investigational acne treatment. The business operated as a venture-backed and TSX-listed biotech with 11–50 employees and multiple funding rounds, including a 2020 strategic investment from Pfizer's Breakthrough Growth Initiative.

In 2021, Pfizer acquired Trillium for $2.3 billion, integrating it as a wholly-owned subsidiary and inheriting the full pipeline. Trillium generated no commercial revenue; its economics were entirely premised on the successful clinical advancement and eventual approval or out-licensing of its CD47 inhibitor. In May 2026, Pfizer discontinued all three programs acquired from Trillium — maplirpacept, PF-08046052, and PF-07905428 — effectively writing off the full deal value after years of failed clinical studies. The outcome reinforces broader sector challenges in the CD47 space, where competitors including Gilead Sciences similarly abandoned related programs.

Name

Trillium Therapeutics

Legal name

Trillium Therapeutics Inc.

Website

https://trilliumtherapeutics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Trillium Therapeutics was a clinical-stage Canadian biotech that developed CD47-blocking cancer immunotherapies, most notably maplirpacept. It was acquired by Pfizer in 2021 for $2.3 billion and generated no commercial revenue before all acquired programs were discontinued in 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Immunotherapy Drugs

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

CAR-T & TCR-T Therapies (HLAAABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cell Processing & Ancillary Materials (media, cytokines, beads, vectors, disposables) (HLAAABAH), Cell Therapy Enabling Technologies (gene editing, cell engineering, delivery methods) (HLAAABAL)

Keywords

• Cancer immunotherapy
• CD47 inhibitors
• Oncology drug development
• Biopharmaceutical research
• Clinical-stage biotech

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations

Core offering

Trillium Therapeutics was a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel cancer immunotherapies, primarily targeting the CD47 "don't eat me" checkpoint pathway. Its pipeline centered on CD47-blocking fusion proteins and T-cell engagers intended for blood cancers and solid tumors. Following Pfizer's 2021 acquisition, all Trillium-originated clinical programs were discontinued, terminating ongoing development.

Product overview

Trillium Therapeutics was a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel cancer immunotherapies, specifically targeting the CD47 pathway. The company was acquired by Pfizer in 2021 for $2.3 billion. Its product pipeline included maplirpacept (CD47 inhibitor for blood and B-cell cancers), PF-08046052 (EGFR-targeting T-cell engager for solid tumors), and an investigational acne treatment (PF-07905428). All three programs have been discontinued by Pfizer as of 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Maplirpacept (TTI-621) Investigational CD47-blocking fusion protein (decoy receptor) designed to enhance macrophage-mediated tumor phagocytosis; intended for hematologic malignancies including cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and other blood cancers. Discontinued by Pfizer.
• PF-08046052 Investigational T-cell engager (EGFR-directed bispecific) developed from Trillium's pipeline for solid tumor indications; subsequently discontinued by Pfizer.
• PF-07905428 Investigational oncology drug candidate originating from Trillium's pipeline; subsequently discontinued by Pfizer.
• Fluorine-based drug candidates (Fluorinov-acquired assets) Fluorine-based drug candidate assets acquired by Trillium from Fluorinov Pharma, originally explored for dermatologic indications including acne. Program discontinued following the Pfizer acquisition.

Quantifiable outcome

• All acquired programs discontinued - no approved products resulted from the $2.3 billion acquisition

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• ALX Oncology Holdings: Clinical-stage biotech developing CD47/SIRPα pathway inhibitors and other immuno-oncology therapies. Closest direct peer to Trillium by mechanism and stage, though ALX continues to advance its lead evorpacept program where Trillium's maplirpacept was discontinued.

Broad incumbents

• Gilead Sciences: Large biopharmaceutical company that previously advanced magrolimab, a CD47-targeting antibody that was also discontinued — making Gilead the most directly comparable large-cap peer on the CD47 failure outcome. Broad oncology and antiviral portfolio beyond the CD47 program.
• Bristol-Myers Squibb: Major oncology incumbent with a prior internal CD47 program (CC-90002) that was discontinued, mirroring Trillium's outcome. BMS operates an extensive immune checkpoint and cell therapy portfolio (PD-1, LAG-3) in adjacent mechanism space.
• Merck & Co. PD-1 checkpoint leader (Keytruda) and broader oncology incumbent; comparable as an immunotherapy anchor against which CD47-pathway programs like Trillium's were positioned as resistance-overcoming or complementary mechanisms.
• Roche: Global biopharma with Tecentriq (PD-L1 inhibitor) and an extensive immuno-oncology franchise. Comparable as a large-cap incumbent operating in the immune-checkpoint space where Trillium's CD47 program was positioned.
• AstraZeneca: Major oncology biopharma with immune checkpoint (Imfinzi/PD-L1) and bispecific programs; relevant as a broad immuno-oncology peer and as one of several large players who evaluated but largely moved past the CD47 axis.

Emerging players

• Adaptimmune Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech developing TCR-based cell therapies for solid tumors — adjacent cell-redirecting modality to Trillium's T-cell engager program. Comparable in stage and oncology focus.
• Iovance Biotherapeutics: Clinical-to-commercial cell therapy company focused on tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapies for solid tumors. Comparable as an immuno-oncology biotech targeting hematologic and solid tumor indications similar to Trillium's intended patient segments.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Trillium_Tx
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trillium-therapeutics-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds9 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Trillium Therapeutics