Vivace secures $35M for mesothelioma drug pivotal trial

Vivace Therapeutics recently secured $35 million in a Series D funding round to advance the development of its leading drug candidate, VT3989, as it prepares for a Phase III clinical trial targeting mesothelioma. This investment round was led by RA Capital Management, with additional contributions from existing investors Canaan Partners and Cenova Capital. The innovative small molecule, VT3989, is designed to inhibit the palmitoylation of proteins in the transcriptional enhanced associate domain (TEAD) family, thereby targeting the Hippo pathway, which plays a crucial role in tumor suppression.

Sofie Qiao, CEO of Vivace Therapeutics, highlighted the significance of the Hippo signaling pathway as a critical tumor suppressor that, when dysfunctional, can lead to uncontrolled cellular proliferation. This dysfunction is notably prevalent in mesothelioma, which explains why Vivace has chosen it as the primary focus for VT3989. Qiao pointed out that mesothelioma patients have limited treatment options compared to other cancer types that benefit from a range of targeted therapies. Currently, the standard treatments for mesothelioma involve combinations of immunotherapy and chemotherapy, such as Merck & Co.'s Keytruda (pembrolizumab).

At present, VT3989 is undergoing an open-label Phase I study and has shown "particularly notable" efficacy in patients whose mesothelioma has not responded to prior chemotherapy and immuno-oncology treatments. Vivace plans to present these promising findings at a major medical conference in the upcoming months.

The recent funding will enable Vivace to initiate a randomized, registrational Phase III trial for VT3989. The company aims to engage in discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) later this year to explore the potential for this study. By advancing VT3989 to this critical stage of development, Vivace Therapeutics is positioning itself at the forefront of creating a novel treatment option for mesothelioma, addressing a significant unmet need in cancer therapy.