---
title: "Neobe Raises £5M Seed Funding for Engineered Bacteria That Open Up Solid Tumours"
url: "https://bizztor.com/news/neobe-raises-5m-seed-funding-cancer-bacteria/"
author: "Bizztor"
author_url: "https://bizztor.com/author/bizztor/"
date_published: "2026-11-10T14:00:00.000Z"
date_modified: "2026-11-14T10:38:05.450Z"
category: "News"
description: "ARC Ventures led the $6.8M round for the Stevenage biotech, with Macmillan Ventures joining. It plans to file to start human trials of NEO22 in 2028."
publisher: "Bizztor"
---

# Neobe Raises £5M Seed Funding for Engineered Bacteria That Open Up Solid Tumours

> ARC Ventures led the $6.8M round for the Stevenage biotech, with Macmillan Ventures joining. It plans to file to start human trials of NEO22 in 2028.

**Neobe Therapeutics, a Stevenage biotech that engineers bacteria to break into solid tumours, has raised a $6.8M (£5M) seed round led by ARC Ventures.**

The round was announced on 10 November. Faber, Macmillan Ventures, Proven Connect and Empirical Ventures joined, with follow-on investment from pre-seed backer 2048 Ventures.

It takes [Neobe](https://neobetherapeutics.com/)'s total funding past $10.5M.

## What does Neobe do?

Many cancer drugs and immune cells cannot reach the inside of solid tumours. The tumours build a dense physical barrier, sometimes called a matrix, that keeps treatment out.

Neobe turns harmless strains of common bacteria into programmable living medicines. The bacteria colonise the tumour and break down that barrier, so existing treatments can get in and work.

The idea is to make current therapies, including immunotherapy, effective in more patients rather than replace them.

## What is NEO22?

NEO22 is Neobe's lead programme. The seed money funds its preclinical studies and preparation for an investigational new drug filing, the step needed to start human trials, targeted for 2028.

A further tranche of the seed round is set aside to fund a first-in-human trial. Neobe has also hired Dr Laura Chow, an immuno-oncology specialist, as chief medical officer to lead clinical development.

## Who founded Neobe?

Dr Pedro Correa de Sampaio, chief executive, and Dr Annelise Soulier founded Neobe in 2021. [It came out of a venture creation alliance between Deep Science Ventures and Cancer Research Horizons](https://www.cancerresearchhorizons.com/our-portfolio/our-start-portfolio/neobe), the commercial arm of Cancer Research UK.

The company is based at the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst. It raised a $2.34M round in February 2024.

## What did investors say?

Correa de Sampaio said several treatments that can cure cancer already exist, but in too many patients they cannot reach where they are needed.

Joseph Korff, founder of ARC Ventures, said the firm was excited to back Neobe's approach to the physical barriers created by dense tumours.

Felix Litzkow, head of Macmillan Ventures, said the charity's investment arm works alongside people living with cancer today to shape the care of tomorrow.

## Why does Macmillan's involvement matter?

Macmillan Ventures is the venture arm of Macmillan Cancer Support. A patient charity investing alongside specialist funds is still unusual, and it signals interest in treatments that widen access to existing drugs.

## What this means for UK founders

Neobe shows how UK science founders can use venture builders and charity-linked funds to get from idea to seed. It started with Deep Science Ventures and Cancer Research Horizons before drawing in specialist biotech investors.

Founders on the same path can read Bizztor's guide to [university spin-outs and leaving the lab](https://bizztor.com/guides/university-spin-outs-in-the-uk-a-founders-guide-to-equity-funding-and-leaving-the-lab/). The round also adds to this month's run of UK life sciences deals, including [Oyster Therapeutics' $60M Series A](https://bizztor.com/news/oyster-therapeutics-raises-60m-series-a-funding/).

Track the sector in Bizztor's [UK healthtech funding data](https://bizztor.com/uk-funding-data/healthtech/).

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Source: https://bizztor.com/news/neobe-raises-5m-seed-funding-cancer-bacteria/