Peloton Therapeutics
Peloton Therapeutics was a Dallas-based clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing first-in-class HIF-2α small molecule inhibitors for kidney cancer and VHL Disease. The company was acquired by Merck & Co. in 2021 for approximately $3.7 billion.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersDallas, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Peloton Therapeutics does
Peloton Therapeutics, Inc. was a privately held, clinical-stage pharmaceutical company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with a secondary office in San Francisco. Founded in 2010, the company focused on discovering and developing first-in-class small molecule drugs for cancer and other life-threatening conditions, with an initial therapeutic focus on HIF-2α (hypoxia-inducible factor 2-alpha), a transcription factor previously considered intractable to small molecule approaches. Peloton pioneered the first HIF-2α inhibitor to enter clinical development, targeting kidney cancer and VHL (von Hippel-Lindau) Disease, and supplemented this lead program with earlier-stage discovery efforts in CD73 and the Ubiquitin Ligase pathway.
The company's core technology centered on identifying novel small molecule compounds capable of modulating complex protein-protein interactions that drive disease. Its drug discovery engine combined proprietary chemistry, HIF-2α biology expertise, and computational capabilities to advance lead candidates from discovery through clinical development. Peloton's customer-facing focus was on patients with HIF-2α-driven cancers and rare genetic conditions rather than paying commercial customers; as a pre-commercial entity, the company monetized its science through a strategic exit rather than product sales, with 51–100 employees deployed primarily across R&D and clinical functions. The lead asset, belzutifan (later branded Welireg), originated from this platform.
In 2021, Merck & Co. acquired Peloton for approximately $3.7 billion, integrating the HIF-2α program into its oncology portfolio. Belzutifan subsequently received FDA approval and is positioned by Merck as a post-Keytruda oncology growth driver. Following the transaction, Peloton operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck. Prior to the acquisition, the company had raised approximately $242.6 million across four venture funding rounds between 2011 and 2019, backed by investors including RA Capital Management, Foresite Capital, The Column Group, OrbiMed, and EcoR1 Capital.
Peloton Therapeutics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Peloton Therapeutics
- Legal name
- Peloton Therapeutics, Inc.
- Website
- https://pelotontherapeutics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Peloton Therapeutics was a Dallas-based clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing first-in-class HIF-2α small molecule inhibitors for kidney cancer and VHL Disease. The company was acquired by Merck & Co. in 2021 for approximately $3.7 billion.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Peloton Therapeutics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Oncology Pharmaceuticals
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Drug Discovery (Target ID/Validation & Hit Discovery) (HLAIALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Target Identification & Validation Platforms (omics-driven, chemoproteomics, genetic validation) (HLAAAIAI), In Vivo Pharmacology (Efficacy/PD Models) (HLAGAFAA)
Keywords
Where Peloton Therapeutics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dallas
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Peloton Therapeutics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations
Peloton Therapeutics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Peloton Therapeutics is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing first-in-class small molecule drugs that target HIF-2α and related biological pathways for the treatment of cancer and other serious diseases. Its lead program was the first HIF-2α inhibitor to enter clinical development, focused initially on kidney cancer and VHL Disease, with additional discovery-stage programs targeting CD73 and ubiquitin ligase pathways. The company translates novel scientific insights into first-in-class medicines through proprietary approaches to modulating previously intractable transcription factor targets.
Product overview
Peloton Therapeutics is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing a portfolio of novel small molecule drugs targeting HIF-2α and related pathways for cancer treatment. The company's core offering consists of its HIF-2α Development Program (the first HIF-2α inhibitor to enter clinical development), complemented by pipeline programs in CD73 and Ubiquitin Ligase. These programs focus on identifying novel compounds capable of modulating complex protein-protein interactions that drive disease, with initial applications in kidney cancer and VHL Disease.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- HIF-2α Development Program Peloton Therapeutics' lead clinical-stage drug development program targeting HIF-2α, a transcription factor previously considered intractable to small molecule approaches. The program developed the first HIF-2α inhibitor to enter clinical development, with initial indications in kidney cancer and VHL Disease, and ultimately led to the FDA-approved drug Welireg (belzutifan) following Merck's acquisition.
- CD73 Program Peloton's drug discovery program focused on CD73, an enzyme involved in cancer progression and immune suppression, as part of the company's efforts to develop novel small molecule cancer therapeutics targeting previously intractable disease pathways.
- Ubiquitin Ligase Program Peloton's drug discovery program targeting the ubiquitin ligase pathway to develop small molecule therapies that modulate protein degradation mechanisms for the treatment of cancer.
Companies that use Peloton Therapeutics
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Peloton Therapeutics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Peloton Therapeutics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Peloton Therapeutics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AVEO Pharmaceuticals: Oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company developing treatments for renal cell carcinoma, including tivozanib, an oral VEGF receptor inhibitor. Directly comparable as a clinical-stage biotech with overlapping RCC focus and similar small molecule oncology approach.
- Arvinas: Clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering targeted protein degradation (PROTACs) to address previously intractable disease targets. Comparable as a fellow small molecule platform company tackling challenging protein-protein interaction and undruggable target biology.
- Foghorn Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotechnology company developing medicines targeting the chromatin regulatory system, including transcription factor-based oncology targets. Directly comparable in its focus on small molecule modulation of previously intractable transcriptional and chromatin biology.
- Kymera Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing targeted protein degradation (Pegasus platform) to drug targets previously considered undruggable. Comparable platform approach to Peloton's HIF-2α and Ubiquitin Ligase programs around modulating difficult protein-protein interactions.
Broad incumbents
- Exelixis: Commercial-stage oncology company with cabozantinib (CABOMETYX) as a leading TKI for advanced renal cell carcinoma. Comparable as a larger established player targeting the same RCC patient population that Peloton's HIF-2α program addresses.
- Mirati Therapeutics: Oncology-focused precision medicine company developing targeted therapies including KRAS inhibitors for solid tumors. Comparable as a clinical-to-commercial stage targeted oncology company acquired by a major pharma (BMS) for its novel small molecule pipeline.
- Bristol-Myers Squibb: Large oncology-focused pharmaceutical company with established RCC franchises (Opdivo/Yervoy combinations) and a track record of acquiring clinical-stage biotechs (e.g., Mirati). Comparable as a strategic acquirer and competitor in the RCC and HIF-pathway oncology space.
Emerging players
- Arcus Biosciences: Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing immuno-oncology combinations, including CD73 inhibitors (e.g., quemliclustat). Directly comparable through its CD73 program, which overlaps with one of Peloton's pipeline programs.
- Compugen: Clinical-stage cancer immunotherapy company with a computational discovery platform targeting novel immune checkpoints. Comparable as a discovery-stage oncology biotech with a focus on novel protein targets and immuno-oncology mechanisms.
- Nektar Therapeutics: Clinical-stage immunology and oncology company developing novel therapeutics including cytokine-based oncology candidates evaluated in RCC combinations. Comparable as a peer in the RCC treatment landscape and novel mechanism oncology development.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses3 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Peloton Therapeutics social profiles
Digital presencePeloton Therapeutics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Peloton Therapeutics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Peloton Therapeutics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors17 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Peloton Therapeutics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Peloton Therapeutics
What does Peloton Therapeutics do?
Peloton Therapeutics is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing first-in-class small molecule drugs that target HIF-2α and related biological pathways for the treatment of cancer and other serious diseases. Its lead program was the first HIF-2α inhibitor to enter clinical development, focused initially on kidney cancer and VHL Disease, with additional discovery-stage programs targeting CD73 and ubiquitin ligase pathways. The company translates novel scientific insights into first-in-class medicines through proprietary approaches to modulating previously intractable transcription factor targets.
Is Peloton Therapeutics a public or private company?
Peloton Therapeutics is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Peloton Therapeutics founded?
Peloton Therapeutics was founded in 2017. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Peloton Therapeutics based?
Peloton Therapeutics is headquartered in Dallas, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Peloton Therapeutics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Arvinas, Foghorn Therapeutics and Kymera Therapeutics. Broad incumbents are Exelixis, Mirati Therapeutics and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Emerging players are Arcus Biosciences, Compugen and Nektar Therapeutics.
Does Peloton Therapeutics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Peloton Therapeutics.
What industry is Peloton Therapeutics in?
Peloton Therapeutics's product category is Oncology Pharmaceuticals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIALAA, Drug Discovery (Target ID/Validation & Hit Discovery), with a secondary code of HLAAAIAI, Target Identification & Validation Platforms (omics-driven, chemoproteomics, genetic validation). Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 2834.