Aethon

Aethon Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company pioneering a novel approach to treat cancer by targeting the 'neoantigens' created when small molecule drugs bind to their targets. Their proprietary Hapten-Targeted Imaging and Therapy (H-TIT) platform uses covalent inhibitors to create a unique chemical tag, or hapten, on a protein, which is then specifically recognized by a high-affinity monoclonal antibody. This 'Goldilocks' strategy aims to overcome resistance to existing targeted therapies, such as KRAS G12C inhibitors, by delivering a potent secondary strike to the drug-bound target. The company's pipeline focuses on combining small molecule inhibitors with immunotherapy to treat various solid tumors. Founded by Apple Tree Partners and leading scientists from NYU and MSK, Aethon is currently in the pre-clinical stage of development.