Aduro cuts 37% of employees as it refocuses on cancer pipeline

Aduro Biotech has hit the reset button, laying off about 37% of its workforce to throw all of its resources behind a handful of lead programs: assets that target the STING and APRIL pathways for the treatment of cancer. “Over the years, Aduro has demonstrated a proven track record in the discovery of small molecules and biologics. As our portfolio has evolved and with a strong cash position, the Executive Team and Board concluded this is the right time to proactively reduce operating expenses and invest more purposefully in STING and APRIL development,” said Aduro CEO Stephen Isaacs in a statement. “We are committed to maintaining a leadership role in the STING and APRIL pathways, and generating multiple clinical data readouts over the next several years." The company has “deprioritized” several programs, including pLADD, ADU-1604 (anti-CTLA-4) and ADU-1805 (anti-SIRPα), Isaacs said. However, the “strategic reset,” as Aduro calls it, will allow the company to seek new partnership opportunities for these not-so-lucky programs.