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Volastra Therapeutics
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Clinical-stage biopharma developing CIN-targeting cancer drugs
Volastra Therapeutics
Work Here?
Clinical-stage biopharma developing CIN-targeting cancer drugs
Overview
Volastra Therapeutics develops cancer therapies focused on chromosomal instability (CIN), a feature present in many tumors and linked to aggressive disease. Its core strategy is discovering and developing drugs that inhibit KIF18A, a protein essential for cancer-cell division, with two lead programs in Phase I/II for KIF18A inhibitors such as VLS-1488. The company advances drug candidates through clinical trials and aims to bring them to patients with aggressive cancers, building its pipeline through ongoing preclinical work and data sharing from conferences like AACR. Compared with competitors, Volastra combines a CIN-targeted approach with KIF18A inhibition to address tumors characterized by chromosomal instability, seeking to translate preclinical findings into clinically tested therapies. The goal is to provide effective treatments for patients with CIN-associated cancers and to progress multiple candidates through development toward commercialization."
About Volastra Therapeutics
Industries
Biotechnology
Healthcare
Company Size
11-50
Company Stage
Early VC
Total Funding
$119M
Headquarters
New York City, New York
Founded
2019
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- AACR 2026 data linked p16-positive tumors to responses across 15% of cancers.
- FDA Fast Track for sovilnesib in platinum-resistant HGSOC accelerates regulatory interactions.
- March 2026 lab relocation to Alexandria Center signals operational expansion and hiring readiness.
What critics are saying
- VLS-1488 Phase I/II completion in June 2026 leaves a near-term binary readout.
- Single-mechanism KIF18A dependence concentrates failure risk if p16-selected tumors underperform.
- Cash pressure stays opaque; no 2026 financing disclosure supports an existential runway risk.
What makes Volastra Therapeutics unique
- Volastra owns first-in-class KIF18A inhibitors, sovilnesib and VLS-1488, targeting CIN biology.
- AACR 2026 p16 loss data created a pan-cancer, Rb pathway-driven biomarker strategy.
- Microsoft, Function Oncology, and Tailor Bio partnerships strengthen biomarker-guided patient selection.
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Funding
Total Funding
$119M
Above
Industry Average
Funded Over
4 Rounds
Benefits
Remote Work Options
Hybrid Work Options
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↓ -4%1 year growth
↓ -2%2 year growth
↑ 0%Volastra Therapeutics has announced data identifying p16 loss as a candidate predictive biomarker for KIF18A inhibition, establishing a pan-cancer development strategy for its therapies. The findings were disclosed around the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026. The clinical-stage oncology company released a study analysing 79 heavily pretreated high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients treated with KIF18A inhibitors sovilnesib and VLS-1488. Biomarker-positive tumours showed significant enrichment for objective responses, durable disease control and longer progression-free survival. The research identifies Rb pathway inactivation as the mechanistic basis of response to KIF18A inhibition, potentially applicable to approximately 15% of human cancers. Volastra's proprietary p16 IHC biomarker strategy aims to translate this biology into clinical patient selection across multiple tumour types.
NEW YORK - may 27, 2025 - Volastra Therapeutics, a clinical-stage cancer biotechnology company, today announced the appointment of David P. Southwell as Chief Executive Officer.
Volastra announces initial data from first-in-human Phase I/II trial of novel KIF18A inhibitor VLS-1488 to be presented at 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting.
As it transitions from a discovery- to a clinical-stage biotech, Volastra Therapeutics is bringing longtime adviser Samuel Bakhoum, M.D., Ph.D., on board as its chief scientific officer.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not necessarily reviewed the information in this filing and has not determined if it is accurate and complete.The reader should not assume that the information is accurate and complete.
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About Volastra Therapeutics
Industries
Biotechnology
Healthcare
Company Size
11-50
Company Stage
Early VC
Total Funding
$119M
Headquarters
New York City, New York
Founded
2019
Volastra Therapeutics is Hiring for 1 Jobs on Simplify!
Find jobs on Simplify and start your career today