Whitehawk Therapeutics

What Whitehawk Therapeutics does

Whitehawk Therapeutics is a clinical-stage oncology company developing next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for difficult-to-treat cancers, with an initial focus on lung and gynecological malignancies. The company was founded in 2011 as Aadi Bioscience, completed a merger with Aerpio Pharmaceuticals in August 2021 to begin trading on Nasdaq (originally under ticker AADI), and in late 2025 divested its legacy FYARRO asset and rebranded to Whitehawk Therapeutics to refocus on three ADC candidates in-licensed from WuXi Biologics under an exclusive global development and commercialization agreement: HWK-007 (PTK7-targeted, Phase 1 active in lung, ovarian, and endometrial cancers), HWK-016 (MUC16-targeted, Phase 1 active in ovarian and endometrial cancers), and HWK-206 (SEZ6-targeted biparatopic ADC, IND planned for mid-2026 and Phase 1 start in Q3 2026 for SCLC and neuroendocrine tumors).

The company's underlying platform combines a proprietary TOPO1 inhibitor payload (CPT113 from Hangzhou DAC), a highly stable cleavable linker, optimized drug-antibody ratio, and the Carbon Bridge Cysteine Re-pairing technology, engineered to improve therapeutic index, plasma stability, and tolerability versus first-generation ADCs. Whitehawk additionally expanded into bispecific ADCs via a July 2026 collaboration with Biocytogen, and partnered with Tempus AI in October 2025 for biomarker-driven research and real-world target expression analyses supporting clinical trial design. The company operates from Morristown, New Jersey, with 11-50 employees and is led by CEO Dave Lennon (ex-Novartis Gene Therapies, Zolgensma launch), CSO David Dornan, and a board that includes ADC-experienced directors such as Baiteng Zhao (ProfoundBio co-founder, sold to Genmab for $1.8B).

Whitehawk is pre-revenue with no commercialized products; its business model is currently standard for clinical-stage biotech — capital is raised via public/private equity financings (~$87.5M PIPE in May 2026, $100M PIPE in March 2025, $72.5M in September 2022, and $155M concurrent with the 2021 reverse merger), and value creation is expected through eventual out-licensing, partnership, or commercialization of ADC assets. Cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments stood at $145.7M at year-end 2025 (up from $47.2M at year-end 2024), expected to fund operations into 2028. The full-year 2025 net loss narrowed to $20.6M from $63.7M in 2024, and Q4 2025 net loss was $23.3M.

Name

Whitehawk Therapeutics

Legal name

Whitehawk Therapeutics, Inc.

Website

https://whitehawktx.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Whitehawk Therapeutics is a clinical-stage oncology company developing three next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (HWK-007, HWK-016, HWK-206) targeting PTK7, MUC16, and SEZ6 in lung, gynecological, and neuroendocrine cancers, using a TOPO1-payload platform in-licensed from WuXi Biologics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oncology Therapeutics

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) & Antibody Conjugates (HLAAAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Antibody Discovery & Engineering Platforms (display tech, bispecifics, Fc engineering) (HLAAAIAB), Bispecific & Multispecific Antibodies (HLAAAAAF)

Keywords

• Antibody drug conjugates
• Oncology therapeutics
• Cancer drug development
• ADC platform
• Targeted cancer therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Pacific Palisades

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Whitehawk Therapeutics is a clinical-stage oncology company developing next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for difficult-to-treat cancers, with an initial focus on lung and gynecological cancers. Its portfolio consists of three ADC candidates — HWK-007 (PTK7-targeted), HWK-016 (MUC16-targeted), and HWK-206 (SEZ6-targeted biparatopic ADC) — built on a platform combining a proprietary TOPO1 inhibitor payload, a highly stable cleavable linker, and an optimized drug-to-antibody ratio, all in-licensed from WuXi Biologics and Hangzhou DAC.

Product overview

Whitehawk Therapeutics is a clinical-stage oncology company with a three-asset ADC portfolio in-licensed from WuXi Biologics under an exclusive global development and commercialization agreement. The portfolio consists of HWK-007 (PTK7-targeted), HWK-016 (MUC16-targeted), and HWK-206 (SEZ6-targeted biparatopic ADC), designed to target proteins that are clinically validated and broadly expressed across high-potential cancer indications including lung and gynecological cancers. The company leverages a next-wave ADC platform technology from Hangzhou DAC engineered for high therapeutic index, stability, and optimized dosing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carbon Bridge Cysteine Re-pairing Platform: Next-generation ADC platform technology engineered for high therapeutic index and stability, overcoming limitations of first-generation ADCs.

Products and services

• HWK-007 A PTK7-targeted antibody-drug conjugate being evaluated in a Phase 1 trial for high PTK7-expressing lung, ovarian, and endometrial cancers. PTK7 is present in approximately 70% of tumors.
• HWK-016 A MUC16-targeted ADC designed to target the membrane-bound, non-shed portion of Mucin 16, being evaluated in a Phase 1 trial for advanced ovarian and endometrial cancers. MUC16 is present at rates 2-fold to over 100-fold higher than other ADC targets in ovarian cancer.
• HWK-206 A SEZ6-targeted biparatopic ADC for small cell lung cancer and neuroendocrine tumors utilizing dual epitope binding to improve internalization and effectiveness; the only biparatopic ADC in development for SCLC.

Quantifiable outcome

• HWK-007, HWK-016, and HWK-206 demonstrated tumor regressions at low single-digit mg/kg doses in various cancer preclinical models
• +4 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• BiocytogencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 July 2026Biocytogen and Whitehawk Therapeutics entered a global collaboration to develop bispecific antibody-drug conjugates (BsADC). Biocytogen provides access to up to five bispecific antibodies from its RenLite platform, while Whitehawk evaluates them with its ADC linker-payload technologies. Whitehawk holds the option to advance resulting BsADC candidates and obtain global rights and full program control. Biocytogen receives an upfront payment, eligibility for development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, and low single-digit royalties on net sales. Companies aim to deliver new ADC INDs within 12-24 months.
• Tempus AIcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2025Multi-year collaboration leveraging Tempus' proprietary de-identified multimodal database to advance biomarker-driven research and support clinical trial designs for Whitehawk's ADC oncology pipeline. The collaboration focuses on three ADC assets targeting PTK7, MUC16, and SEZ6 proteins in high-potential cancer indications including lung and gynecological cancers. Tempus also collaborated on real-world analysis of MUC16 expression patterns in ovarian and endometrial cancers presented at SGO 2026.
• WuXi BiologicscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerADC portfolio is in-licensed from WuXi Biologics under an exclusive global development and commercialization agreement. The three ADC assets (HWK-007, HWK-016, HWK-206) were discovered through WuXi Biologics' collaborative efforts with Hangzhou DAC. Assets utilize innovative antibody discovery platform from WuXi Biologics and advanced linker-payload technology from Hangzhou DAC. WuXi Biologics is a leading global CRDMO (Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organization).
• Hangzhou DACcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerHangzhou DAC is a global leader in ADC innovation and provides the advanced linker-payload technology (known as CPT113) used in Whitehawk's next-wave ADC platform. The technology enables proprietary TOPO1 inhibitor payload, stable cleavable linker, and optimized DAR for improved therapeutic index.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Daiichi Sankyo: Global leader in ADC development with the DXd platform (used in Enhertu, Datroway). Directly comparable to Whitehawk as a next-wave ADC platform developer with proprietary linker-payload technology targeting validated oncology antigens.
• ProfoundBio (acquired by Genmab): Clinical-stage ADC developer acquired by Genmab for $1.8B in May 2024 for its next-wave ADC platform (PTK7, FRα, CDH6 programs). Highly comparable to Whitehawk given similar platform approach and the fact that ProfoundBio board member Baiteng Zhao now sits on Whitehawk's board.

Emerging players

• Elevation Oncology: Clinical-stage oncology company developing targeted ADC therapies (e.g., EO-3021 for Claudin18.2). Whitehawk CSO David Dornan previously served as CSO at Elevation, and both companies operate at a similar small-cap clinical stage with a focused ADC pipeline.
• Bolt Biotherapeutics: Clinical-stage ADC company developing immune-stimulating ADCs (ISACs). Whitehawk CSO David Dornan was previously CSO at Bolt, and both companies represent small-cap clinical-stage ADC developers working with novel linker-payload approaches.
• Mersana Therapeutics: Clinical-stage ADC developer with proprietary Dolasynthen and Immunosynthen platforms targeting ovarian cancer (including NaPi2b, FRα). Direct competitor to Whitehawk in gynecological cancer ADCs with similar small-cap clinical-stage profile.
• Tubulis: Emerging ADC platform company developing novel linker chemistries and conjugation technologies for next-wave ADCs. Comparable to Whitehawk given shared focus on proprietary linker-payload technology and platform-driven ADC asset generation.

Broad incumbents

• AstraZeneca: Major oncology incumbent commercializing Enhertu and Datroway (via Daiichi Sankyo partnership) and pursuing ADC expansion across multiple tumor types. Represents the gold-standard reference for next-wave ADC commercialization against which Whitehawk's eventual commercial profile will be measured.
• Gilead Sciences: Large-cap biopharma with the Trodelvy (TROP2 ADC) franchise acquired via Immunomedics. Comparable as an established ADC commercial player in solid tumors; Whitehawk CTOO Bryan Ball was CQO at Immunomedics during Trodelvy's development and approval.
• Pfizer: Major oncology incumbent with the Padcev (enfortumab vedotin) ADC franchise and the Seagen ADC platform acquired for $43B. Represents a deep-pocketed competitor that could compete with or acquire emerging ADC assets in lung and gynecological tumors.
• AbbVie (ImmunoGen): Major oncology incumbent that acquired ImmunoGen for $10.1B to obtain Elahere (mirvetuximab soravtansine), an approved FRα-targeted ADC in ovarian cancer. Directly comparable to Whitehawk as a competitor in gynecological cancer ADCs, with established commercial scale Whitehawk would need to match.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whitehawk-therapeutics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors27 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Whitehawk Therapeutics