CAMBRIDGE, Mass.– Tasca Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing targeted therapies for genetically defined cancers, announced today that the first patient has been dosed in its Phase 1/2 dose escalation and expansion trial of CP-383, the company’s lead drug candidate.
CP-383 is a first-in-class small molecule designed to modulate a critical oncogenic signaling pathway. In preclinical studies, the compound demonstrated strong anti-tumor activity across multiple tumor models, including cancers with limited response to current therapies. The drug was discovered using Tasca’s proprietary auto-palmitoylation platform, which integrates pathway biology, structure-based design, and precision oncology strategies to unlock previously intractable targets.
“The dosing of the first patient with CP-383 is a major milestone for Tasca and a testament to the innovation and dedication of our team,” said Milenko Cicmil, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Tasca Therapeutics. “CP-383 is a highly differentiated small molecule that targets a key pathway implicated in multiple difficult-to-treat cancers. We are looking forward to rapidly enrolling this study and beginning to define the clinical profile of this novel, targeted oncology candidate.”
The Phase 1/2 trial is a multi-center, open-label study evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary anti-tumor activity of CP-383 in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors. Future phases of the study will include biomarker-enriched cohorts guided by emerging clinical and translational findings.
Alongside the clinical milestone, Tasca also announced a second closing of its $67 million Series A financing round, which added 8VC as a new investor. The round was previously co-led by Regeneron Ventures and Cure Ventures, with additional participation from Invus Group.
“We are thrilled to support Tasca’s clinical development of CP-383,” said Seth Lieblich, Principal at 8VC. “The discovery of a druggable auto-palmitoylation pocket represents a breakthrough in targeting previously intractable cancer drivers. We believe Tasca’s team, platform, and mechanistic insight into oncogenic signaling have the potential to reshape the treatment landscape for genetically defined cancers. We’re excited to join backing their vision to dramatically improve the lives of cancer patients.”
