What FoRx Therapeutics does

FoRx Therapeutics AG is a privately held clinical-stage biotechnology company headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, founded in 2019 by Prof. Thanos Halazonetis and Dr. Sotirios K. Sotiriou to develop precision therapeutics targeting DNA Replication Stress in treatment-resistant cancers. The company's pipeline consists of orally available small molecule inhibitors aimed at DNA Damage Response (DDR) deficiencies, with lead asset FORX-428, a proprietary poly (ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) inhibitor, having received FDA IND clearance on June 13, 2025 and initiated first-in-human dosing on August 6, 2025 in the United States. The pipeline also includes FORX-002, a first-in-class DDR modulator in lead optimization, and FORX-003, a novel replication stress target in lead identification.

The scientific thesis exploits the vulnerability of cancer cells with high oncogene-induced replication stress or HRD-positive status to PARG inhibition, including tumors that have acquired resistance to PARP inhibitors. Preclinical data position FORX-428 as a potential best-in-class compound, with at least 10-fold higher potency than competitor reference compounds, favorable pharmacokinetics, and robust activity in hard-to-treat tumor models. The company has assembled a leadership team with deep DDR drug discovery credentials: CSO Frank Zenke was previously Global Head of DDR Research at Merck KGaA/EMD Serono, VP Chemistry Ulrich Lücking invented Bayer's clinical ATR inhibitor BAY 1895344, CMO Jens Würthner led clinical development of loncastuximab tesirine (Zynlonta) at ADC Therapeutics, and CEO Tarig Bashir previously led discovery at Proteros.

As a pre-revenue clinical-stage company, FoRx generates no commercial revenue today. Its business model is to advance FORX-428 through Phase 1 development and pursue strategic licensing or co-development agreements with larger pharmaceutical partners for global commercialization, with initial Phase 1 data expected mid-2026. Capital has been provided by a strategic-investor-heavy syndicate, with a EUR 10 million seed round in April 2020 and a USD 50 million insider-led Series A closed in December 2025, led by EQT Life Sciences with participation from Pfizer Ventures, Novartis Venture Fund, and M Ventures. Board representation from these same investors points to active preparation for a future partnership or out-licensing transaction.

Name

FoRx Therapeutics

Legal name

FoRx Therapeutics AG

Website

https://forxtherapeutics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FoRx Therapeutics AG is a Swiss clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first- and best-in-class small molecule inhibitors targeting DNA replication stress and DNA damage response pathways for treatment-resistant advanced solid tumors, with lead asset FORX-428 in Phase 1 trials.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Basel

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Drug Development and Commercialization: Pre-revenue clinical-stage biotechnology company. The company is developing FORX-428 through Phase 1 clinical trials with plans to commercialize through potential licensing partnerships with pharmaceutical companies or by building commercial infrastructure. Revenue would be generated through product sales following regulatory approval.
2. Strategic Partnerships and Licensing: The company may pursue co-development agreements, licensing deals, or strategic partnerships with larger pharmaceutical companies for the development and commercialization of its pipeline compounds.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

FoRx Therapeutics develops small molecule precision oncology drugs that target DNA Replication Stress and the DNA Damage Response in treatment-resistant cancers. Its lead asset, FORX-428, is an orally available PARG inhibitor in Phase 1 clinical trials for advanced solid tumors, supported by earlier-stage programs FORX-002 and FORX-003 targeting additional DNA replication stress vulnerabilities.

Product overview

FoRx Therapeutics is a privately held clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering precision therapeutics targeting DNA Replication Stress in treatment-resistant cancers. The company's pipeline consists of three small molecule programs: FORX-428 (lead PARG inhibitor in Phase 1 clinical testing for advanced solid tumors), FORX-002 (DDR modulator in lead optimization), and FORX-003 (replication stress target in lead identification). The company focuses on developing first- and best-in-class compounds for cancer treatment by targeting key molecular mechanisms involved in DNA replication stress and associated DNA Damage Response pathways.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FORX-428 An orally available, best-in-class small molecule inhibitor of poly (ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) designed to inhibit PARG enzyme activity and induce tumor cell death in cancers with specific DNA Damage Response deficiencies or high replication stress, including HRD-positive and PARP inhibitor-resistant tumors; in Phase 1 development for patients with advanced solid tumors.
• FORX-002 A first-in-class DNA Damage Response modulator in lead optimization targeting DNA replication stress in distinct types of cancer not yet addressed by other targeted DDR inhibitors.
• FORX-003 A first-in-class program in lead identification targeting a unique novel target identified in screens for sensitizers to DNA replication stress, with target-selective inhibitors expected to have strong potential in tumors exhibiting high levels of oncogene-induced DNA replication stress.

Quantifiable outcome

• FORX-428 demonstrated at least 10-fold higher potency across multiple solid tumor cell lines compared to competitor reference compound in preclinical studies
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• START MidwestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading cancer center in the United States serving as principal investigator site for the first-in-human Phase 1 clinical trial of FORX-428. Dr. Manish R. Sharma, MD, Co-Director of Clinical Research at START Midwest, serves as Principal Investigator on the trial.
• American Chemical Society (ACS)minorOthersFoRx Therapeutics presented the molecular structure, discovery, and preclinical data of FORX-428 at the ACS Spring 2026 meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. This was the first description of the discovery and chemical structure of a clinical-stage PARG inhibitor candidate.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IDEAYA Biosciences: Clinical-stage precision oncology company developing synthetic lethality and DDR-targeted therapies including MAT2A, Pol theta, and Werner programs. Comparable to FoRx as a clinical-stage synthetic lethality biotech with multiple programs in early development.
• Artios Pharma: Private UK-based clinical-stage precision oncology company developing DDR-targeted therapies including Pol theta and ATM inhibitor programs. Directly comparable to FoRx as a European-headquartered DDR-focused biotech with multiple pipeline programs.
• Black Diamond Therapeutics: Clinical-stage precision oncology company developing allosteric mutant-selective inhibitors across multiple oncogenic targets. Comparable to FoRx as a small-molecule precision oncology company with Phase 1/2 assets targeting defined genetic patient populations.
• Tango Therapeutics: Clinical-stage precision oncology company developing synthetic lethality-based therapies including PRMT5 inhibitor TNG348 and multiple undisclosed synthetic lethality targets. Highly comparable business model and target approach to FoRx's DDR/replication stress focus.
• Repare Therapeutics: Clinical-stage precision oncology company developing synthetic lethality-based therapies including POLQ inhibitor RP-3467 and multiple DDR programs. Directly comparable to FoRx as a US/Canada-based biotech with Phase 1-ready DDR assets targeting similar patient populations.

Broad incumbents

• AstraZeneca: Global pharmaceutical company and PARP inhibitor market leader via Lynparza (olaparib) co-developed with MSD, plus expanding DDR and oncology franchises. Relevant as the dominant incumbent in the patient population FoRx targets with FORX-428.
• Merck KGaA: Global pharmaceutical company with significant DDR research and development programs (ATR, ATM, DNA-PK inhibitors) and a strategic investment in FoRx via M Ventures (Christian Uhrich on board). Both a competitive incumbent and a financial partner to FoRx.
• Novartis: Global pharmaceutical company with broad oncology franchise including DDR programs and a strategic investment in FoRx via Novartis Venture Fund (Beat Steffen on board). Both a competitive incumbent and a financial partner with deep DDR drug discovery history.
• Pfizer: Global pharmaceutical company with multiple DDR and oncology programs (Talzenna/PARP, multiple combination strategies) and a strategic investment in FoRx via Pfizer Ventures (Denis Patrick on board). Both a competitive incumbent and a financial partner.

Emerging players

• Schrödinger: Computational chemistry and precision oncology company with internal pipeline including DDR-targeted programs (MALT1, EGFR) and a discovery platform increasingly applied to DDR/synthetic lethality. Emerging comparable as a tech-enabled drug discovery peer intersecting with FoRx's precision oncology space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forx-therapeutics
• Xx.com/FoRxTx

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors6 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 FoRx Therapeutics