Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, a Waltham, MA-based clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing advanced kinase inhibitor treatments, has increased the size of its Series B financing to over $90m. The Series B was led by New Leaf Venture Partners and joined by Deciphera’s existing investors, to fund development of its pipeline of proprietary switch control kinase inhibitors. Concurrent with the financing, Michael Ross Ph.D., Managing Partner at SV Life Sciences, will join Deciphera’s board of directors.
Deciphera Pharmaceuticals is inspired to improve treatment for patients with cancer by designing kinase inhibitor therapies that target the hallmarks of cancer biology. Their small-molecule drugs are specifically engineered to simultaneously block multiple cancer signaling mechanisms in the tumor cell and the tumor microenvironment to prevent growth and spread. Deciphera’s unique approach represents an important advance over current therapies in the durability of kinase inhibition and resiliency to genetic mutations to provide greater benefit across a range of cancers. Deciphera’s business strategy is to advance its drug candidates for genetically-defined cancers and cancers that target the tumor microenvironment through both proprietary and partnered programs.
Deciphera’s internal product pipeline includes Altiratinib (DCC-2701) a MET/TIE2/VEGFR2/TRK kinase inhibitor currently in Phase 1 clinical development, DCC-2618, a pan-KIT inhibitor currently in preclinical development and Rebastinib, a TIE2/VEGFR1 kinase inhibitor currently in Phase 1 clinical development. Partnered programs include LY3009120 (DP-4978), a pan-RAF inhibitor developed in collaboration with Eli Lilly. Additional research-stage programs are also in development.