Vivace Therapeutics Secures $35M in Series D for Hippo Pathway Cancer Drug Development

Vivace Therapeutics, Inc., a company focused on the discovery and development of small molecule cancer therapies, has successfully closed a $35 million Series D financing round. The investment was led by RA Capital Management, with additional participation from existing investors Canaan Partners and Cenova Capital. This funding will be used to advance the clinical development of VT3989, a groundbreaking TEAD autopalmitoylation inhibitor, specifically targeting mesothelioma, a type of cancer that affects the mesothelium.

VT3989 stands out as a novel small molecule that disrupts the Hippo signaling pathway by inhibiting the palmitoylation of TEAD proteins. It is the first and only member of its class to yield compelling clinical efficacy data. During an ongoing Phase 1 open-label clinical study, the drug has been tested on over 150 patients, demonstrating significant efficacy and an excellent safety profile. The promising results highlight VT3989's potential as a best-in-class therapeutic option.

Patients with mesothelioma, who have exhausted other treatments such as chemotherapy and immuno-oncology combinations, have shown particularly noteworthy responses to VT3989. Given these encouraging findings, Vivace Therapeutics plans to present the data at a prominent medical conference later this year. The company aims to progress VT3989 into a randomized, registrational Phase 3 clinical trial for mesothelioma patients and intends to engage in discussions with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to align on next steps.

Dr. Jake Simson, a partner at RA Capital Management who joined Vivace's board of directors following the financing round, expressed confidence in the company's progress. He remarked on the substantial unmet treatment needs for mesothelioma patients and how VT3989 could revolutionize the standard of care for this challenging disease.

Sofie Qiao, Ph.D., the president and CEO of Vivace Therapeutics, also highlighted the significance of the clinical results and the strategic focus on advancing VT3989 into a Phase 3 trial. She emphasized the importance of the new funding in supporting the company’s mission to develop VT3989 successfully, expressing gratitude for the continued backing from RA Capital and other investors.

The ongoing Phase 1 study of VT3989 is a multi-center, open-label trial designed to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and biological activity of the drug in patients with refractory metastatic solid tumors, including refractory pleural malignant mesothelioma.

Vivace Therapeutics, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, is dedicated to targeting the Hippo pathway with its innovative approach to treat human carcinomas with significant unmet medical needs. To date, the company has raised $105 million, underscoring its commitment to pioneering new cancer therapies.