# Simcha Therapeutics

> Simcha Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company in New Haven, Connecticut that uses directed evolution to engineer next-generation cytokine immunotherapies for cancer. Its lead program, ST-067, is a first-in-class 'decoy-resistant' interleukin-18 (IL-18) variant engineered to evade the natural decoy protein (IL-18BP) that tumors exploit to silence the immune system. Spun out of Aaron Ring's lab at Yale School of Medicine and backed by $40M in Series B financing, Simcha is advancing ST-067 through Phase 1/2 trials in solid tumors and partnering with Janssen to armor CAR T cell therapies.

- **Founded:** 2018
- **Headquarters:** New Haven, Connecticut, United States
- **Founders:** Aaron Ring (Founder & Board Director (formerly Assistant Professor of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine))
- **Team size:** ~12 employees
- **Products:** ST-067 (decoy-resistant IL-18), DR-18 for cell therapy, Engineered cytokine platform
- **Notable:** Published foundational decoy-resistant IL-18 science in Nature (June 2020), Raised $40M Series B in January 2022 led by SR One, bringing total funding to roughly $69M, Advanced ST-067 into a Phase 1a/2 clinical trial in solid tumors

## Products & services

- **ST-067 (decoy-resistant IL-18)** — A first-in-class engineered interleukin-18 variant that is impervious to IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP), the natural decoy receptor tumors use to neutralize IL-18. Currently in a Phase 1a/2 clinical trial in patients with solid tumors, including a cohort combining ST-067 with pembrolizumab (Keytruda).
- **DR-18 for cell therapy** — Decoy-resistant IL-18 engineered to 'armor' CAR T-based cell therapy candidates, licensed and optioned to Janssen Biotech (a Johnson & Johnson company).
- **Engineered cytokine platform** — A directed-evolution platform that re-engineers natural cytokines to overcome the toxicity and decoy mechanisms that historically limited cytokine immunotherapy.

## Achievements

- Published foundational decoy-resistant IL-18 science in Nature (June 2020)
- Raised $40M Series B in January 2022 led by SR One, bringing total funding to roughly $69M
- Advanced ST-067 into a Phase 1a/2 clinical trial in solid tumors
- Signed a license and option agreement with Janssen/Johnson & Johnson for cell-therapy applications (2024)
- Presented preclinical data showing DR-18 can enhance bispecific T-cell engagers (Oct 2025)

## Latest updates

- **2025-10** — Presented preclinical data showing potential for decoy-resistant IL-18 to enhance the efficacy of bispecific T-cell engagers.
- **2024-01** — Announced license and option agreement with Janssen Biotech (J&J) to develop decoy-resistant IL-18 for CAR T cell therapy applications.
- **2022-08** — Appointed Sanuj Ravindran, M.D. as CEO and added key leadership; expanded research/option agreement with Yale School of Medicine.
- **2022-01** — Raised $40M Series B and initiated Phase 1/2 study of ST-067.

## Links

- Website: https://simchatx.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/simcha-therapeutics
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/simchatx

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/simcha-therapeutics
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Last updated: 2026-06-08