Philadelphia — FORE Biotherapeutics has raised $38 million in Series D-2 financing to support the continued development of its lead investigational therapy, plixorafenib, a novel BRAF inhibitor being studied as a potential first-in-class treatment for various cancers. This new funding extends the company’s cash runway beyond key clinical milestones expected to begin in the second half of 2025.
The financing round attracted participation from a group of prominent healthcare-focused investors, including SR One, Medicxi, OrbiMed, HBM Healthcare Investments, Wellington Management, Novartis Venture Fund, Cormorant Asset Management, and 3B Future Health Fund. Combined with earlier Series D and D-1 rounds, FORE has now raised a total of $113 million under the broader Series D umbrella.
The capital will fund ongoing work under the company’s global Phase 2 FORTE Master Protocol, which includes four sub-studies. Three are currently evaluating plixorafenib as a monotherapy in patients with: BRAF V600 recurrent primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors, rare BRAF V600-mutated solid tumors, and solid tumors with BRAF fusions.
“This financing is a testament to the hard work of our team in developing plixorafenib, which we believe could offer a significant advancement over existing BRAF-targeted therapies,” said William Hinshaw, CEO of FORE Biotherapeutics. “We are especially encouraged by the early clinical data and look forward to multiple interim analyses and potential FDA submissions as early as the end of next year.”
Plixorafenib is designed to address both V600 and non-V600 BRAF mutations, and it aims to overcome resistance and tolerability issues seen with first- and second-generation BRAF inhibitors. FORE believes the drug could redefine treatment in this space, offering new hope to patients with limited options and representing a substantial market opportunity.
Simeon George, M.D., CEO and Managing Partner at SR One, underscored the potential impact of the therapy. “Fore Bio is resetting the standard for BRAF-driven tumors. We’re impressed with the progress and data, and we’re proud to back the continued advancement of plixorafenib as a potential breakthrough for patients and oncologists alike.”
With this latest funding, FORE plans to continue its capital-efficient strategy as it moves closer to potential accelerated regulatory pathways. The company anticipates several data readouts in the coming months, which could help support future FDA filings and lay the groundwork for a new standard of care in BRAF-driven cancers.
