Anokion, which is developing treatments for autoimmune diseases and allergies, is planning the first clinical trials of its treatments in 2017.

Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company Anokion has secured CHF 33m ($37.4m) in a series A round co-led by corporate venturing units Novartis Venture Fund and Novo Ventures, and venture capital firm Versant Ventures.

Spun-off from technical university Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Anokion will use the funding to develop clinical candidates based around its technology, which retrains white blood cells to induce therapeutic immune tolerance.

Anokion will target candidates to treat autoimmune and allergic diseases. The first clinical trials are initially planned…