What Tasca does

Tasca Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class small molecule inhibitors that target proteins undergoing auto-palmitoylation, a post-translational lipid modification that creates novel druggable binding pockets on cancer-driving proteins. Founded in 2022 based on academic research from Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School and UT Southwestern, the company operates a proprietary drug discovery platform combining mass spectrometry-based proteomics with proprietary wet-lab reagents to systematically map auto-palmitoylation sites and generate small molecule inhibitors against previously undruggable oncology targets.

The company's lead candidate, CP-383, is a first-in-class small molecule inhibitor currently in a multi-center, open-label Phase 1/2 dose escalation and expansion trial in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors, with initial evaluation planned in small cell lung cancer, colorectal cancer, head and neck cancer, and brain cancer. Two additional pipeline programs (Programs 2 and 3) are in discovery and IND-enabling stages, also targeting auto-palmitoylated proteins across multiple cancer indications.

As a pre-revenue biotech, Tasca funds operations through venture capital and intends to monetize through future licensing, co-development, or partnership transactions with pharmaceutical companies. The company is led by CEO Milenko Cicmil and Chairman Praveen Tipirneni, with a leadership bench drawn from Merck, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Novartis, Pfizer, and Amgen, and a Scientific Advisory Board including AACR President-elect Prof. Keith Flaherty. The company is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts and has raised $67 million in Series A financing from Regeneron Ventures, Cure Ventures, Invus Group, and 8VC.

Name

Tasca

Legal name

Tasca Therapeutics, Inc.

Website

https://tascatx.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tasca Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class small molecule inhibitors of auto-palmitoylated proteins to treat advanced solid tumors, with lead candidate CP-383 in Phase 1/2 trials and additional programs in discovery, pre-revenue and funded by $67M in Series A capital.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Oncology Therapeutics

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Drug Discovery (Target ID/Validation & Hit Discovery) (HLAIALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Target Identification & Validation Platforms (omics-driven, chemoproteomics, genetic validation) (HLAAAIAI)

Keywords

• Oncology drug discovery
• Small molecule inhibitors
• Precision oncology therapeutics
• Protein palmitoylation platform
• Clinical stage biotechnology

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pipeline Development and Licensing: As a clinical-stage biotechnology company, Tasca is developing its lead program CP-383 through Phase 1/2 clinical proof-of-concept studies. The company is expected to pursue licensing or partnership deals for its programs and pipeline candidates in the future. Currently pre-revenue with funding from venture capital investors.
2. Strategic Partnerships: The company may pursue co-development partnerships with larger pharmaceutical companies for its drug candidates and platform technology. The executive team has experience at major pharma companies including Merck, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Novartis.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Tasca Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class small molecule inhibitors that bind to auto-palmitoylation sites on cancer-driving proteins. Its lead candidate, CP-383, is currently in a Phase 1/2 dose escalation and expansion trial in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors, with initial indications including small cell lung cancer, colorectal cancer, head and neck cancer, and brain cancer. Two additional pipeline programs are in discovery/IND-enabling stages, all powered by the company's proprietary mass spectrometry-based auto-palmitoylation platform.

Product overview

Tasca Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a proprietary auto-palmitoylation platform for drug discovery. The company leverages mass spectrometry-based proteomics to identify novel lipid-binding pockets on proteins, enabling development of first-in-class small molecule inhibitors. The lead product CP-383 is a first-in-class small molecule currently in Phase 1/2 clinical trials for advanced solid tumors, with Programs 2 and 3 in discovery stages targeting multiple cancer indications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Auto-Palmitoylation Platform Proprietary drug discovery platform that uses mass spectrometry-based proteomics and proprietary reagents to identify proteins undergoing auto-palmitoylation and map the specific lipid-binding pockets these modifications create, enabling development of first-in-class small molecule inhibitors against previously undruggable cancer-driving targets.
• CP-383 First-in-class small molecule inhibitor of an auto-palmitoylated oncogenic target, demonstrating robust anti-tumor activity in preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies across multiple cancer types. Currently in a multi-center, open-label Phase 1/2 dose escalation and expansion trial evaluating safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary anti-tumor activity in advanced or metastatic solid tumors.
• Program 2 Second pipeline program at Tasca, targeting auto-palmitoylated proteins for multiple cancer indications, currently in the discovery stage.
• Program 3 Third pipeline program at Tasca, targeting auto-palmitoylated proteins for multiple cancer indications, currently in the discovery stage.

Quantifiable outcome

• Robust anti-tumor activity demonstrated in both in vitro and in vivo studies across a broad range of human cancers
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Mass General Brigham InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmilie Braun, Senior Director of Business Development and Licensing at Mass General Brigham Innovation, serves on the board. Mass General Brigham is a key academic healthcare system that includes the research origins of Tasca's co-founders at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Scorpion Therapeutics: Clinical-stage precision oncology company developing first-in-class small molecule inhibitors against previously undruggable cancer targets. Co-founded by Keith Flaherty (Tasca SAB member) and acquired by Eli Lilly in 2025; structurally and strategically the closest analogue to Tasca's platform-plus-pipeline model.
• Flare Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering drugging of transcription factor targets via novel ligand-binding pockets using a chemoproteomics platform. Tasca VP of Chemistry Jon Wilson previously led chemistry at Flare (FX-909 in Phase 1B), making it both a comparable platform story and a direct talent pipeline overlap.
• Elevation Oncology: Clinical-stage precision oncology company developing biomarker-driven therapies for genomically defined solid tumors. Tasca CMO Valerie Jansen previously served as CMO at Elevation, and the two companies share a precision-oncology patient-selection philosophy in solid tumors.

Emerging players

• Fog Pharma: Clinical-stage biotech developing cell-penetrating miniproteins (CPMPs) to drug previously undruggable intracellular targets in oncology. Tasca's Acting Chief Data Officer Kenzie MacIsaac previously led translational bioinformatics at Fog, and the company shares Tasca's core thesis of unlocking undruggable targets.
• Cyteir Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech focused on DNA damage repair and cancer metabolism. Tasca CSO Paul Secrist and VP Clinical Operations Susan Doleman both previously served at Cyteir, and the company represents a comparable small-team, novel-target clinical-stage biotech model.
• Ikena Oncology: Clinical-stage targeted oncology company developing small molecule inhibitors against novel cancer targets. Tasca Interim CBO Maude Tessier previously led business development and a $260M+ capital-raise program at Ikena, including a $1B+ BMS partnership, making it a comparable business-development peer.
• Quentis Therapeutics: Early-stage biotech developing novel small molecule inhibitors of IRE1α in oncology and immunology. Tasca Board Director Michael Aberman was previously President and CEO of Quentis, making it a relevant precedent for a comparable-stage, novel-pocket oncology biotech with shared leadership.

Broad incumbents

• Arvinas: Clinical-stage company pioneering targeted protein degradation (PROTAC) to drug previously undruggable oncology targets. Tasca Senior Director of Biology John Flanagan previously contributed to Arvinas's discovery work, and the platform thesis — using novel chemistry to access undruggable pockets — is structurally analogous.
• Morphic Therapeutic: Clinical-stage biotech developing oral integrin inhibitors, acquired by Eli Lilly for $3.2B in 2024. Tasca Chairman Praveen Tipirneni led Morphic from founding to acquisition, providing a directly comparable founder/operator playbook and exit trajectory.
• Loxo Oncology: Pioneer of tumor-agnostic precision oncology, acquired by Eli Lilly for $8B in 2019. Co-founded by Tasca SAB member Keith Flaherty; represents the gold-standard comparable for biomarker-driven small-molecule oncology biotechs that scaled from Phase 1 to large pharma acquisition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tasca-therapeutics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Tasca