Kanvas Biosciences has raised $48 million in Series A funding to advance a microbiome-based cancer immunotherapy into clinical trials, highlighting renewed investor confidence in the microbiome therapeutics space.
The company’s lead therapy is a live biotherapeutic containing approximately 50 bacterial strains derived from a stage IV colorectal cancer patient who achieved a complete response to immunotherapy. Built on a spatial microbiome mapping platform developed at Cornell University, Kanvas aims to improve cancer immunotherapy response rates while also advancing programs in inflammation and malnutrition-related gut diseases. The funding signals growing interest in leveraging the gut microbiome to enhance cancer treatment outcomes.