Persephoni Launches Strategic Sponsorship with American Cancer Society’s BrightEdge to Accelerate Oncology Innovation

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Sept. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Persephoni BioSciences LLC ("Persephoni"), a leading global life sciences venture studio, is proud to announce a $1.5 million sponsorship to American Cancer Society BrightEdge LLC ("BrightEdge") in support of its innovation acceleration programs. As a leading sponsor, Persephoni and BrightEdge will also develop a strategic partnership with the mission to accelerate translational oncology research into clinical-stage drug candidates and globally launch startups to bring innovative therapies to patients faster. BrightEdge is the innovation and impact investment arm of the American Cancer Society ("ACS").

Building on ACS’s history of partnerships and programs that support patient-centric impact, BrightEdge will become a strategic partner with Persephoni as Persephoni develops its Clinical Impact Studio. This initiative will drive the translation of discoveries into new therapies for patients. The partnership goes beyond traditional sponsorship by leveraging the capabilities of Persephoni and BrightEdge’s innovation ecosystem. Through regular strategic engagements, Persephoni will collaborate closely with BrightEdge leadership to identify and guide promising innovations from the pipeline of ACS grantees and entrepreneurs. Once identified, Persephoni will work to provide a framework for onboarding oncology innovations ready for translation into its Clinical Impact Studio. Once onboarded, the selected assets will be fully enabled and operated within the studio implementing the Persephoni Breakthrough System, a repeatable framework designed to advance and translate high-potential discoveries, leveraging Persephoni’s operational team, process, capital, partners, and facilities. Persephoni looks forward to a continued long term collaboration with ACS, BrightEdge, and their research network to support the ACS mission of ending cancer, for everyone.

Based in Research Triangle, North Carolina, the Persephoni Clinical Impact Studio is a global platform to bridge early-stage scientific breakthroughs with the clinical development and investment support required to advance them into and through the clinical development journey. It will function as a hub to foster company formation, provide strategic guidance, and facilitate targeted capital deployment into high-potential startups aligned with the ACS mission of ending cancer as we know it, for everyone and Persephoni’s mission to help breakthroughs break through. By locating the Clinical Impact Studio in North Carolina, already home to multiple R1 research universities, contract research organizations, and boasting three National Cancer Institute (NCI)–designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, Persephoni and the Clinical Impact Studio will add to the growing and vibrant patient-focused biotech ecosystem building in the Triangle.

“This partnership represents a shared commitment to change the trajectory of cancer innovation,” said Hilary Schultz, CEO of Persephoni. “By combining ACS BrightEdge’s deep research network and impact investment infrastructure with our translational and company-building capabilities, we will unlock transformative solutions for patients. We stand proud to sponsor and offer our global capabilities to ACS affiliated researchers and entrepreneurs.”

“Far too often, promising oncology breakthroughs stall before reaching patients because they lack the support required to move out of the lab and into the clinic,” said Alice Pomponio, vice president, innovation & impact investing / managing director, ACS BrightEdge. “Through this partnership with Persephoni, we are creating a new model to bridge that critical translational gap, enabling more potentially lifesaving discoveries to be developed, de-risked, and delivered to the patients who need them most. This generous gift will help us build on the momentum of BrightEdge’s innovation programs, continuing our mission of supporting entrepreneurs in multiple ways as they bridge the valley of death and accelerate the journey of life-saving cancer technologies.”

About Persephoni

Persephoni is a global venture creation and development firm focused on launching and scaling transformational biotech companies in all disease and technology spaces. Through its hybrid private equity and venture model, Persephoni implements its Persephoni Breakthrough System™ to accelerate breakthroughs in the life sciences. Through strategic partnerships and deep sector expertise, Persephoni catalyzes the journey from research to therapy. For more information visit www.persephonibio.com.

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