Yellowstone Biosciences

Yellowstone is pioneering soluble T-cell receptor (TCR)-based therapies to unlock a new class of cancer therapeutics.

Yellowstone has been spun out from the University of Oxford with the support of Oxford University Innovation (OUI) and is built around the pioneering work of renowned academic clinician, Prof. Paresh Vyas, Professor of Haematology Deputy Director of MRC Molecular Haematology Unit at the University of Oxford and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust. Yellowstone has proprietary access to a biobank of over 10,000 samples from over 3,000 AML patients, which includes patients that received allogeneic stem cell transplantation. A small number of the 3,000 patients were cured by bone marrow transplantation whilst, unusually, avoiding any donor immune-related toxicity against healthy tissues. Work from Professor Vyas’s laboratory at the University of Oxford, through the study of this unique cohort of cured patients, has identified a set of frequently expressed antigens belonging to a novel target class that has been poorly explored to date. Targeting these antigens, and others in their class, has the potential to extend life and possibly cure patients from cancer by killing the tumorous cells whilst minimising harming healthy cells.

Leveraging this unique biobank and world-class protein engineering capabilities, Yellowstone is advancing its lead programme in AML, with pipeline potential across a range of other common cancers including ovarian cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), colorectal cancer, prostrate cancer and melanoma.

Syncona added Yellowstone to the portfolio by committing £16.5 million to the company in a Series A financing in March 2024. The company subsequently launched with an experienced and industry-leading team, including Prof. Vyas as CSO, Julian Hirst as CFO, who has over 20 years of financial experience, and Neil Johnston as Executive Chair, who spent 17 years at Novartis, most recently as global Head of BD&L and member of the Novartis Pharma Executive Committee.