New and recently funded Medical Startups
1
Country: USA | Funding: $209M
Ikena Oncology is developing novel immunometabolic therapies. Its flagship drug IMG-007 is a monoclonal antibody against OX40 with an extended half-life (5 weeks) for patients with immunological, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. IMG-007 contains a modified Fc region that blocks ADCC function, meaning signaling by activated T cells is weakened without destroying or depleting T cells. This solution has the potential to improve tolerability and increase the range of measurement, leading to the use of higher doses, increased efficacy and improved safety. The company's primary target is atopic dermatitis. In a proof-of-concept clinical trial in patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, three doses of IMG-007 administered over a one-month period resulted in symptom reduction in the majority of patients. Ikena Oncology was acquired by ImageneBio
Ikena Oncology is developing novel immunometabolic therapies. Its flagship drug IMG-007 is a monoclonal antibody against OX40 with an extended half-life (5 weeks) for patients with immunological, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. IMG-007 contains a modified Fc region that blocks ADCC function, meaning signaling by activated T cells is weakened without destroying or depleting T cells. This solution has the potential to improve tolerability and increase the range of measurement, leading to the use of higher doses, increased efficacy and improved safety. The company's primary target is atopic dermatitis. In a proof-of-concept clinical trial in patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, three doses of IMG-007 administered over a one-month period resulted in symptom reduction in the majority of patients. Ikena Oncology was acquired by ImageneBio
2
Country: USA | Funding: $555.6M
CG Oncology develops oncolytic immunotherapies for patients with advanced bladder cancer. Its flagship drug Cretostimogen is an intravesically administered oncolytic immunotherapy with a dual mechanism of action. It selectively replicates and lyses bladder cancer cells. The rupture of cancer cells can then release tumor-derived antigens, along with GM-CSF, which can stimulate a systemic antitumor immune response involving the body's immune system. CG Oncology has a robust clinical trial program with a developed pipeline to study the safety and efficacy of Cretostimogen. It has received FSA Fast Track and Breakthrough Therapy designations from the FDA.
CG Oncology develops oncolytic immunotherapies for patients with advanced bladder cancer. Its flagship drug Cretostimogen is an intravesically administered oncolytic immunotherapy with a dual mechanism of action. It selectively replicates and lyses bladder cancer cells. The rupture of cancer cells can then release tumor-derived antigens, along with GM-CSF, which can stimulate a systemic antitumor immune response involving the body's immune system. CG Oncology has a robust clinical trial program with a developed pipeline to study the safety and efficacy of Cretostimogen. It has received FSA Fast Track and Breakthrough Therapy designations from the FDA.
3
Country: USA | Funding: $281M
Paradigm creates an intelligent platform that enables all patients to participate in clinical trials and helps biotech companies improve their efficiency. The platform uses AI to automate patient recruitment and evaluate the feasibility of conducting trials at sites. The system enables providers to visualize their entire research portfolio, identify opportunities for patients not yet enrolled in trials, analyze the effectiveness of their clinical trial portfolio compared to expected enrollment rates and automate the completion of electronic data collection forms. Paradigm specializes in oncology research, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders and neuroscience.
Paradigm creates an intelligent platform that enables all patients to participate in clinical trials and helps biotech companies improve their efficiency. The platform uses AI to automate patient recruitment and evaluate the feasibility of conducting trials at sites. The system enables providers to visualize their entire research portfolio, identify opportunities for patients not yet enrolled in trials, analyze the effectiveness of their clinical trial portfolio compared to expected enrollment rates and automate the completion of electronic data collection forms. Paradigm specializes in oncology research, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders and neuroscience.
4
Country: USA | Funding: $110M
Artera is developing an AI system for prostate cancer diagnostics. It analyzes patient biopsy images and accurately predicts the likelihood of benefit from specific treatments, allowing doctors to make treatment decisions with greater confidence. The system is based on a multimodal AI model trained on digital pathological images and text-based clinical data. In addition to images, it analyzes numerous patient characteristics and performs tasks that traditional methods cannot perform independently. Test results are generated without the use of tissue and are available for review within 2-3 days of receiving the patient's sample.
Artera is developing an AI system for prostate cancer diagnostics. It analyzes patient biopsy images and accurately predicts the likelihood of benefit from specific treatments, allowing doctors to make treatment decisions with greater confidence. The system is based on a multimodal AI model trained on digital pathological images and text-based clinical data. In addition to images, it analyzes numerous patient characteristics and performs tasks that traditional methods cannot perform independently. Test results are generated without the use of tissue and are available for review within 2-3 days of receiving the patient's sample.
5
Country: USA | Funding: $130M
Convergent Therapeutics develops radiopharmaceuticals for the treatment of prostate cancer. These are radioantibodies that deliver alpha-emitting agents, which carry the radioactive payload directly to the cancer cells, making radiation therapy more targeted and effective. The short-acting nature of these alpha-emitting agents minimizes radiation exposure to healthy adjacent cells and tissue. Each radioantibody is created through careful selection of an antibody with high affinity for a specific cancer target. The company's flagship drug, CONV01-α, is a radioantibody labeled with actinium-225, with proven efficacy and safety in multiple Phase 1/2 trials in prostate cancer patients.
Convergent Therapeutics develops radiopharmaceuticals for the treatment of prostate cancer. These are radioantibodies that deliver alpha-emitting agents, which carry the radioactive payload directly to the cancer cells, making radiation therapy more targeted and effective. The short-acting nature of these alpha-emitting agents minimizes radiation exposure to healthy adjacent cells and tissue. Each radioantibody is created through careful selection of an antibody with high affinity for a specific cancer target. The company's flagship drug, CONV01-α, is a radioantibody labeled with actinium-225, with proven efficacy and safety in multiple Phase 1/2 trials in prostate cancer patients.
6
Country: USA | Funding: $208.3M
Halda is developing RIPTAC - a new class of precision anti-cancer drugs. RIPTAC technology binds two proteins: one specific to the tumor and one that performs an essential function. This protein-protein interaction enables to selective destruct cancer cells. Halda's portfolio includes oral therapeutic drugs for treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and breast cancer. Clinical trials have already demonstrated good tolerability of this new therapy and encouraging signs of anti-tumor activity, including reductions in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) responses in patients with advanced prostate cancer, many of whom have progressed after several prior therapies and exhausted available treatment options. Acquired by Johnson & Johnson
Halda is developing RIPTAC - a new class of precision anti-cancer drugs. RIPTAC technology binds two proteins: one specific to the tumor and one that performs an essential function. This protein-protein interaction enables to selective destruct cancer cells. Halda's portfolio includes oral therapeutic drugs for treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and breast cancer. Clinical trials have already demonstrated good tolerability of this new therapy and encouraging signs of anti-tumor activity, including reductions in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) responses in patients with advanced prostate cancer, many of whom have progressed after several prior therapies and exhausted available treatment options. Acquired by Johnson & Johnson
7
Country: USA | Funding: $733.3M
Windtree Therapeutics develops cardiovascular drugs. Its flagship drug Istaroxime is a first-in-class, dual-mode therapy designed to improve cardiac function by increasing both systolic contractility and diastolic relaxation through SERCA2a activation and Na+/K+ ATPase inhibition. The company's heart failure portfolio also includes sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase 2a (SERCA2a) activators, which activate SERCA2a. These candidates will be developed as potential oral treatments for chronic heart failure.
Windtree Therapeutics develops cardiovascular drugs. Its flagship drug Istaroxime is a first-in-class, dual-mode therapy designed to improve cardiac function by increasing both systolic contractility and diastolic relaxation through SERCA2a activation and Na+/K+ ATPase inhibition. The company's heart failure portfolio also includes sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase 2a (SERCA2a) activators, which activate SERCA2a. These candidates will be developed as potential oral treatments for chronic heart failure.
8
Country: India | Funding: $20.9M
Virohan is an educational platform that offers students industry-relevant healthcare training programs. The company acts as an intermediary between (Indian) medical universities (e.g., UPES in Dehradun, BBD University in Lucknow, CMR University in Bangalore) and medical centers (Lenskart, Medanta, Healthians, etc.). These programs cover disciplines such as optometry, medical laboratory technology, surgical technology, physiotherapy, radiology, nursing and healthcare management. The company offers blended learning, combining online learning with hands-on training in modern classrooms and real-world medical facilities. Virohan also provides students with the myCareer app for searching courses, lectures, admissions and career counseling.
Virohan is an educational platform that offers students industry-relevant healthcare training programs. The company acts as an intermediary between (Indian) medical universities (e.g., UPES in Dehradun, BBD University in Lucknow, CMR University in Bangalore) and medical centers (Lenskart, Medanta, Healthians, etc.). These programs cover disciplines such as optometry, medical laboratory technology, surgical technology, physiotherapy, radiology, nursing and healthcare management. The company offers blended learning, combining online learning with hands-on training in modern classrooms and real-world medical facilities. Virohan also provides students with the myCareer app for searching courses, lectures, admissions and career counseling.
9
Country: USA | Funding: $220M
Paige.AI was one of the first startups to apply AI models to cancer care and has since developed numerous models used for tissue analysis, tissue subtyping and molecular biomarker discovery. Paige has developed several AI applications for diagnostic decision support in oncology pathology, including prostate cancer detection and diagnosis in whole-section prostate biopsy images, identifying and classifying breast cancer in whole-section biopsy and excisional breast specimens, detecting and classifying benign and malignant diseases throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Developed using Virchow and trained on over 1.5 million slides, the Paige PanCancer Suite helps pathologists identify the subtlest nuances of cancer progression in various tissue types, including rare cancers. Acquired by Tempus
Paige.AI was one of the first startups to apply AI models to cancer care and has since developed numerous models used for tissue analysis, tissue subtyping and molecular biomarker discovery. Paige has developed several AI applications for diagnostic decision support in oncology pathology, including prostate cancer detection and diagnosis in whole-section prostate biopsy images, identifying and classifying breast cancer in whole-section biopsy and excisional breast specimens, detecting and classifying benign and malignant diseases throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Developed using Virchow and trained on over 1.5 million slides, the Paige PanCancer Suite helps pathologists identify the subtlest nuances of cancer progression in various tissue types, including rare cancers. Acquired by Tempus
10
Country: Canada | Funding: $326.2M
Profound Medical manufactures a device for MRI-guided transurethral ultrasound ablation of the prostate cancer. TULSA-PRO is an FDA/CE-cleared surgical robot for ablation in men with localized prostate cancer, associated with obstructive benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), localized recurrent prostate cancer after radiation therapy or large-volume BPH. The system enables preoperative surgical planning, 360-degree guidance, precise and accurate targeting, automatic energy adjustment and real-time temperature monitoring.
Profound Medical manufactures a device for MRI-guided transurethral ultrasound ablation of the prostate cancer. TULSA-PRO is an FDA/CE-cleared surgical robot for ablation in men with localized prostate cancer, associated with obstructive benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), localized recurrent prostate cancer after radiation therapy or large-volume BPH. The system enables preoperative surgical planning, 360-degree guidance, precise and accurate targeting, automatic energy adjustment and real-time temperature monitoring.
