Lotte Holdings Invests in Cartography Biosciences to Transform Cancer Treatment

Expansion in Healthcare Investments

Lotte Holdings Co., Ltd., under the leadership of CEO Motokazu Tamazuka, has recently made strides in the healthcare sector by investing in Cartography Biosciences, a pioneering biotechnology firm dedicated to transforming cancer treatment. This engagement marks the fifth investment made by Lotte’s Healthcare Bio-Pharmaceutical Corporate Venture Capital arm (HB-CVC), reflecting a firm commitment to addressing critical healthcare needs through innovative solutions.

Founded in 2020, Cartography Biosciences specializes in the preclinical phase of biotechnology. The company has developed advanced drug discovery platforms utilizing artificial intelligence and machine learning to create groundbreaking antibody-based therapies. Their proprietary databases, ATLAS and SUMMIT, position them at the forefront of cancer research and development.

Innovative Platforms and Promising Treatments

Cartography's ATLAS platform is adept at accurately identifying high-specificity antigen targets, while SUMMIT specializes in identifying bispecific targets and combinations. These innovations enhance tumor specificity, minimizing damage to non-cancerous cells, and broaden the range of applications for novel cancer therapies, significantly improving patient outcomes.

The firm's robust pipeline includes a lead program, CBI-1214, a T-cell engager targeted toward colorectal cancer, which is currently undergoing non-clinical development with plans to enter clinical trials in early 2026. Furthermore, Cartography is collaborating with global pharmaceutical partners to develop revolutionary therapies for triple-negative breast cancer and common forms of lung cancer, such as adenocarcinoma.

Lotte’s Vision for Healthcare

Lotte Holdings announced the establishment of HB-CVC in August 2024 as part of their strategy to focus on healthcare and biopharmaceuticals, bolstering their investment in innovative startups. By investing in Cartography, Lotte aims to contribute to meeting the medical needs of diseases lacking established treatment options and to support the development of novel cancer therapies through its advanced platforms.

Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, presenting a significant challenge in global healthcare. Lotte's recent investment in Cartography represents a considerable step toward delivering more effective and targeted therapies for patients in need. This move enhances Lotte’s healthcare portfolio with innovative biopharmaceutical solutions, aiming to improve the quality of life for people globally.

The financial backing from Lotte will enable Cartography to accelerate its preclinical programs and fund critical research as they prepare for regulatory milestones.

Commitment to Cancer Treatment Advancements

Dr. Joon Paek, Managing Partner of HB-CVC, expressed confidence in Cartography’s potential to fundamentally change cancer treatment approaches. He emphasized the importance of their innovative technology in offering solutions that bring hope to numerous patients and their families. Lotte is proud to support Cartography’s ongoing mission to contribute sustainably to the fight against cancer.

About Lotte Holdings Co., Ltd.

Founded in 1948, Lotte Holdings has grown from its initial gum manufacturing roots in Tokyo to become a global enterprise encompassing various industries including food and beverage, entertainment, and healthcare. With headquarters in both Japan and South Korea, Lotte operates in about 30 countries, embracing an ambitious vision as "Lifetime Value Creator" to deliver ongoing value throughout people's lives.

To learn more about Lotte Holdings, visit their official website or their CVC webpage.

About Cartography Biosciences

Cartography Biosciences is revolutionizing cancer treatment by building a differentiated pipeline targeting tumors with high specificity compared to existing therapies. Their innovative platforms, ATLAS and SUMMIT, are supported by a comprehensive dataset derived from numerous cellular states obtained from healthy and tumor-identified patients. By harnessing petabyte-scale proprietary data alongside insights gained from machine learning and AI, Cartography is well-positioned to identify and develop targeted therapies that can deliver maximal patient impact.

To discover more about Cartography Biosciences, check out their website, LinkedIn, and follow them on X at @cartographybio.