Hexagon Bio

Hexagon Bio

Genomics-driven discovery of small-molecule inhibitors

Overview

Hexagon Bio uses synthetic biology and data science to discover and develop new medicines by analyzing genomic data from thousands of species to find small molecules that inhibit disease-related proteins. Its proprietary algorithm searches genomes to identify lead compounds and its platform can quickly turn those molecules into candidates suitable for clinical development. The company blends computational biology, chemistry, and synthetic biology to move from genome data to drug candidates faster, and it leverages inexpensive sequencing to access diverse genetic information while producing leads in-house. Its goal is to build a steady pipeline of drug candidates and license them to larger pharmaceutical companies to advance through clinical trials and commercialization.

About Hexagon Bio

Simplify's Rating
Why Hexagon Bio is rated
C
Rated C on Competitive Edge
Rated B on Growth Potential
Rated D+ on Differentiation

Industries

Data & Analytics

AI & Machine Learning

Biotechnology

Healthcare

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

Late Stage VC

Total Funding

$183.6M

Headquarters

Menlo Park, California

Founded

2016

People at Hexagon Bio

People at Hexagon Bio who can refer or advise you

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • HEX-360 is advancing toward a Phase I trial in solid tumors planned for 2027.
  • Preclinical data shows deep, durable responses in resistant models and superior tolerability without hallmark ADC toxicities.
  • Hexagon Bio secured $77.3 million Series B financing in June 2026 to expand its computational discovery platform.

What critics are saying

  • GSK's HER2-targeting translation inhibitor ADC will enter Phase 2 by Q4 2026, directly clashing with HEX-360's mechanism.
  • NCBI's public release of 50,000 fungal genomes in August 2026 will dilute Hexagon's database advantage and enable competitor replication.
  • Mycogen Inc. patented a synthetic biology method to mass-produce Hexagon's payload from yeast, threatening their core moat by 2028.

What makes Hexagon Bio unique

  • Hexagon Bio mines fungal genomes using a proprietary database twice the size of all public ones.
  • Their novel Protein Translation Inhibitor payload in HEX-360 targets oncogenic protein production, overcoming resistance to topoisomerase inhibitors.
  • The company leverages HEx technology to rapidly produce and optimize therapeutic candidates directly from microbial genomes.

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Funding

Total Funding

$183.6M

Above

Industry Average

Funded Over

4 Rounds

Notable Investors:
Late VC funding comparison data is currently unavailable. We're working to provide this information soon!
Late VC Funding Comparison
Coming Soon

Benefits

Flexible Work Hours

Gym Membership

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

-2%

1 year growth

-5%

2 year growth

-4%
Hexagon Bio
Jun 22nd, 2026
Hexagon Bio announces formation of Clinical Advisory Board of renowned Breast Cancer experts to support development of HEX-360, a next-generation her2-targeting ADC.

Hexagon Bio announces formation of Clinical Advisory Board of renowned Breast Cancer experts to support development of HEX-360, a next-generation her2-targeting ADC. Mon, Jun 22, 2026 * HEX-360's novel translation inhibitor payload is designed to overcome resistance and poor tolerability associated with existing payload classes * Recently presented preclinical data at the AACR Annual Meeting 2026 demonstrates HEX-360's potential to address critical gaps in the current ADC landscape * Hexagon Bio anticipates initiating clinical study of HEX-360 in the first half of 2027 MENLO PARK, Calif., June 22, 2026 - Hexagon Bio, a biopharmaceutical company pioneering the discovery of novel small molecule payloads for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), today announced the formation of a clinical advisory board (CAB) consisting of leading experts in the treatment and investigation of new therapies for breast cancer. CAB Members: * Hope Rugo, M.D., Division Chief of Breast Medical Oncology and a Professor of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research at City of Hope(R), Los Angeles, California, USA * Erika Hamilton, M.D., Chief Development Officer, Late Phase and Director of Breast Cancer Research at Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, Tennessee, USA * Javier Cortes, M.D., Ph.D., Co-founder and Scientific Director of IOB Institute of Oncology, Madrid, Spain Hexagon Bio's CAB members will provide strategic guidance as the company advances its lead development candidate, HEX-360, toward first-in-human study. HEX-360 is a HER2-targeting ADC that features a novel translation inhibitor payload discovered by Hexagon Bio. Current ADCs primarily deliver chemotherapeutic payloads for cancer cell killing, which often are associated with poor tolerability and patients' development of resistance mechanisms. Conversely, HEX-360's payload is designed to suppress oncogenic protein production, offering the potential for enhanced tolerability and the ability to overcome resistance mechanisms. In preclinical studies, HEX-360 has demonstrated a differentiated profile compared to topoisomerase inhibitor- and tubulin inhibitor-based ADCs. "We are excited to welcome our distinguished Clinical Advisory Board members, and look forward to their expert input and guidance as we rapidly advance HEX-360 toward planned clinic entry next year," said Maureen Hillenmeyer, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer at Hexagon Bio. "By targeting translation, a key vulnerability in oncogene-driven tumors, HEX-360 has a mechanistically distinct ADC payload and the potential to be a much-needed therapeutic option for patients who have progressed on or cannot tolerate current treatments for HER2-positive cancers." "ADCs represent a significant advance in cancer care. But, unfortunately, most patients with advanced breast cancer treated with today's approved ADCs will eventually relapse primarily due to the development of payload resistance. The development of novel payload mechanisms to overcome these resistance mechanisms is critical to improving patient outcomes," said Hope Rugo, M.D., Chief of Breast Medical Oncology at City of Hope. "I look forward to working with the Hexagon Bio team and my fellow Clinical Advisory Board members as HEX-360 transitions to a clinical-stage candidate for the treatment of breast cancer." HEX-360 is currently in IND-enabling studies with anticipated initiation of clinical investigation in 1H of 2027. HEX-360 Preclinical Data Presented at AACR Annual Meeting 2026 Hexagon Bio recently reported preclinical efficacy and safety data for HEX-360 at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2026, highlighting the potential of its novel payload to address critical gaps in the current ADC landscape. Transition inhibitor payload results: * Demonstrates potency at low (<= 10 nM) concentrations in the majority (>90%) of nearly 200 cell lines tested, including cell lines resistant to topoisomerase and tubulin inhibitors * Has low vulnerability to key mechanisms of payload resistance (e.g., drug efflux) * Has good properties (e.g., permeability, lipophilicity), enabling bystander tumor-cell killing similar to topoisomerase inhibitors HEX-360 results: * Shows equivalent or superior efficacy to a comparator analogous to ENHERTU(R) administered at matched payload exposure in cell line- and patient-derived xenograft models * Achieves deep and durable response in models resistant to topoisomerase inhibitors * Has favorable PK properties in preclinical species, supporting Q3W dosing in humans * Demonstrates good tolerability in both rat and non-human primates, without the hallmark toxicities observed with topoisomerase inhibitor-based ADCs The AACR poster is available on Hexagon Bio's website. About Hexagon Bio Hexagon Bio is a biopharmaceutical company pioneering the discovery of novel payloads for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) to address critical unmet needs in oncology. Leveraging a proprietary natural products platform, the company mines cytotoxic small molecules from microbial genomes for use as ADC payloads. Advances in DNA sequencing have enabled the identification of both existing ADC payloads - such as topoisomerase and tubulin inhibitors - and novel payload mechanisms targeting other essential cancer pathways such as protein translation. Hexagon Bio is advancing a pipeline of next-generation ADC candidates with novel payloads designed to treat a wide range of solid tumors and hematological malignancies, with the goal of overcoming resistance to existing ADCs and improving efficacy across tumor types. Learn more at https://www.hexagonbio.com/.

InvestorsObserver
Feb 13th, 2023
Hexagon Bio Raises $77.3 Million Series B Financing and Strengthens Leadership to Expand Novel Computational Discovery Platform and Advance Microbial Genome-Derived Small Molecules

Hexagon Bio Raises $77.3 Million Series B Financing and Strengthens Leadership to Expand Novel Computational Discovery Platform and Advance Microbial Genome-Derived Small Molecules

Vator
Sep 23rd, 2021
The Column Group LLC invests into Hexagon Bio in $61M

Hexagon Bio has raised $61 million in funding led by Nextech, with participation from SoftBank, Casdin Capital and earlier investors The Column Group, 8VC and Two Sigma Ventures.

Business Wire
Sep 22nd, 2021
Hexagon Bio Raises $61 Million to Advance Novel Small-Molecule Medicines Mined from Microbial Genomes

MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hexagon Bio, a biopharmaceutical company mining microbial genomes to discover new medicines, has raised $61M to advance preclinical programs.

Finsmes
Sep 15th, 2020
Hexagon Bio Closes $47M Series A Financing

Hexagon Bio, Inc., a Menlo Park, Calif.-based biotechnology company turning nature's genomes into medicines, raised $47m in Series A financing

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