Halda secures $126M for 'hold and kill' solid tumor drugs clinical advancement

Halda Therapeutics is set to make significant strides in the field of oncology research and development with its innovative RIPTAC program, thanks to a recent infusion of $126 million in funding. RIPTAC, which stands for Regulated Induced Proximity Targeting Chimeras, is being promoted as a novel "hold and kill" mechanism. This approach involves creating a heterobifunctional molecule that targets two proteins: one that is specific to cancer and another that performs an essential function. This dual-targeting molecule aims to kill cancer cells while sparing non-cancerous tissue that does not express the cancer-specific protein.

Dr. Kat Kayser-Bricker, Halda’s Chief Scientific Officer, stated that this mechanism is designed to overcome drug resistance, which is a significant limitation of many standard cancer treatments. The technology behind RIPTAC was inspired by the work of Yale University Professor Craig Crews, who founded Halda Therapeutics. The company is preparing to initiate a phase 1 trial for its first candidate, HLD-0915, in metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer in the first half of next year. The newly raised $126 million series B extension will fund this trial.

Additionally, part of the funding will be allocated to expanding Halda’s team and advancing another RIPTAC candidate into an early-stage trial for metastatic breast cancer. The company also hinted at having more RIPTAC therapeutic programs in the pipeline aimed at addressing unmet medical needs in cancer treatment.

The recent funding round brought in new investors including Deep Track Capital, Frazier Life Sciences, RA Capital Management, Vida Ventures, Boxer Capital, and Taiho Ventures. These new backers joined existing investors such as Canaan Partners, Access Biotechnology, Elm Street Ventures, and Connecticut Innovations, pushing Halda’s total raised funds to $202 million.

Joe Cabral, principal at Frazier Life Sciences, emphasized the urgent need for novel mechanisms to tackle resistance to standard therapies across various tumor types. He pointed out that RIPTAC therapies offer a selective method to kill cancer cells based on differential protein expression, highlighting their potential to treat both advanced cancer patients with diverse resistance adaptations and those in earlier stages of the disease.

Last year, Halda revealed preclinical data suggesting that RIPTAC therapeutics could potentially exhibit superior anti-tumor activity compared to Pfizer’s Xtandi, the current standard of care for prostate cancer. Halda also mentioned exploring the possibility of combining its drugs with PARP inhibitors as part of a treatment regimen.