What Kartos Therapeutics does

Kartos Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing navtemadlin (KRT-232), a novel, potent, and selective oral MDM2 inhibitor designed to restore p53 tumor suppressor function in cancer cells with wild-type TP53. The drug blocks MDM2, enabling p53 to activate pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins and induce cell cycle arrest or apoptosis, with a particular mechanism targeting CD34+ myelofibrosis cells. The company was founded in 2016 by Wayne Rothbaum (Executive Chairman, President of Quogue Capital) following the in-license of the investigational MDM2 inhibitor from Amgen, and is headquartered at 275 Shoreline Drive, Suite 300, Redwood City, California.

The company is running three active clinical programs in myelofibrosis: BOREAS (Phase 3, navtemadlin vs. best available therapy in JAK-inhibitor relapsed/refractory patients), POIESIS (Phase 3, navtemadlin plus ruxolitinib add-on in JAK-inhibitor-naïve patients with suboptimal response to ruxolitinib, currently recruiting), and KRT-232-109 (Phase 1b/2 combination study). An Expanded Access Program allows compassionate use of navtemadlin for patients with serious illness who have exhausted treatment options. The drug also has potential applications in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), Merkel cell carcinoma, and other TP53 wild-type hematological malignancies and solid tumors, addressing a patient population of approximately 25,000 in the United States.

Kartos is a privately held, venture-backed biopharmaceutical company with no commercial product revenue. Its capitalization includes institutional investors Quogue Capital, OrbiMed Advisors, Amgen, SR One, Fidelity Investments, BlackRock, T. Rowe Price, Invus Group, and Soleus Capital. The management team includes veterans from Acerta Pharma and Pharmacyclics who previously led development of Calquence (acalabrutinib) and Imbruvica (ibrutinib), and key opinion leaders in myeloproliferative neoplasms from MD Anderson Cancer Center. Upon regulatory approval, the company intends to commercialize navtemadlin through traditional pharmaceutical sales channels targeting oncology/hematology specialists.

Name

Kartos Therapeutics

Legal name

Kartos Therapeutics, Inc.

Website

https://www.kartosthera.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kartos Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing navtemadlin (KRT-232), an oral MDM2 inhibitor for myelofibrosis and other TP53 wild-type cancers, currently running two Phase 3 trials (BOREAS, POIESIS).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oncology Therapeutics

NAICS

Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Rare Oncology & Hematologic Malignancy Therapies (HLAIAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Clinical Pharmacology & Pharmacometrics (Modeling & Simulation) (HLAIALAG)

Keywords

• MDM2 inhibitor therapeutics
• Myelofibrosis clinical trials
• P53 tumor suppressor
• Targeted oncology therapy
• Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical

Headquarters

HQ city

Redwood City

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Product Sales: Pre-revenue clinical stage company. Revenue will be generated through commercialization of navtemadlin and potential pipeline candidates upon regulatory approval for treatment of myelofibrosis, solid tumors, and hematological malignancies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Kartos Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing navtemadlin (KRT-232), a novel, potent, and selective oral MDM2 inhibitor designed to restore p53 tumor suppressor function in cancer cells. The lead indication is myelofibrosis (both JAK inhibitor relapsed/refractory and JAK inhibitor-naive with suboptimal response), with additional potential applications in acute myeloid leukemia, Merkel cell carcinoma, and other TP53 wild-type hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. The company is sponsoring Phase 3 BOREAS and POIESIS trials and operates an FDA Expanded Access (compassionate use) program.

Product overview

Kartos Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing navtemadlin (KRT-232), a novel, potent, and selective oral MDM2 inhibitor for cancer treatment. The company's clinical programs include three myelofibrosis studies: BOREAS (Phase 3, navtemadlin vs. BAT for JAKi relapsed/refractory MF), POIESIS (Phase 3, navtemadlin + ruxolitinib add-on for JAKi-naïve patients with suboptimal response), and KRT-232-109 (Phase 1b/2, navtemadlin + ruxolitinib combination). The company also operates an Expanded Access Program for compassionate use of navtemadlin. The therapeutic target is the MDM2-p53 interaction, with potential applications across selected solid tumors and hematological malignancies, particularly myelofibrosis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Navtemadlin (KRT-232) A novel, potent, and selective oral MDM2 inhibitor designed to restore p53 tumor suppressor function, promoting cell cycle arrest or apoptosis in CD34+ myelofibrosis cells with wild-type TP53. Intended for oncology and hematology specialty use.
• Expanded Access Program for Navtemadlin A compassionate use / expanded access program providing investigational navtemadlin to patients with serious illnesses who have exhausted all other treatment options. Requests must be submitted by licensed healthcare professionals to [email protected].

Quantifiable outcome

• Disease-modifying activity demonstrated in BOREAS Phase 3 study in JAK-inhibitor relapsed/refractory myelofibrosis patients
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• CancerCareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCancerCare is the leading national organization dedicated to providing free, professional support services including counseling, support groups, educational workshops, publications and financial assistance to anyone affected by cancer. Kartos supports this organization for patient education purposes.
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLLS is the world's largest voluntary nonprofit health organization dedicated to developing better outcomes for blood cancer patients. Kartos supports this organization for patient education and disease awareness in hematologic malignancies.
• MPN Advocacy & Education InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPN Advocacy & Education International provides educational programs, materials and resources for patients, caregivers, physicians and healthcare teams to improve understanding of myelofibrosis, polycythemia vera, and essential thrombocythemia.
• MPN Research FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPN Research Foundation is a catalyst for research funding in pursuit of new treatments and eventually a cure for myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). Founded by patients for patients.
• National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNORD is the leading independent advocacy organization representing all patients and families affected by rare diseases, including approximately 7,000 rare diseases of which approximately 90% are still without FDA-approved treatment.
• Patient PowerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPatient Power is the leading producer of video interviews with medical experts and inspiring patients for people affected by cancer, providing online and in-person events produced in association with major patient organizations and medical centers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Aprea Therapeutics: Clinical-stage oncology company developing eprenetapopt (APR-246), a small-molecule reactivator of mutant p53. Direct mechanistic parallel to Kartos as another p53-pathway oncology biotech, though focused on the mutant p53 side rather than the MDM2 axis.
• Ascentage Pharma: Clinical and commercial-stage biopharma developing novel oncology therapies including MDM2-p53 disruptors. Direct class competitor to Kartos in the MDM2 inhibitor space, with broader hematology and solid tumor programs.
• MorphoSys / Constellation Pharmaceuticals: Developed pelabresib, a BET inhibitor in Phase 3 (MANIFEST-2) in combination with ruxolitinib for myelofibrosis. Direct late-stage competitor to Kartos's POIESIS combination strategy.
• Geron Corporation: Developed imetelstat (Rytelo), a telomerase inhibitor approved in 2024 for transfusion-dependent anemia in lower-risk MDS, with a myelofibrosis program. Emerging heme-oncology peer with disease-modifying positioning analogous to Kartos's MF thesis.

Broad incumbents

• Incyte Corporation: Develops and commercializes ruxolitinib (Jakafi), the JAK inhibitor standard of care in myelofibrosis. Largest incumbent in Kartos's primary disease setting and a benchmark for commercial value in MF.
• Bristol Myers Squibb: Through its Celgene acquisition, BMS commercializes fedratinib (Inrebic) for myelofibrosis. Broad incumbent in the MF treatment landscape where Kartos plans to compete.
• GSK (Sierra Oncology acquisition): Acquired Sierra Oncology in 2022 to obtain momelotinib (Ojjaara), approved for myelofibrosis patients with anemia. Direct MF competitor to any Kartos combination or monotherapy positioning.
• Sobi / CTI Biopharma: CTI Biopharma (acquired by Sobi) developed and commercialized pacritinib (Vonjo) for myelofibrosis with severe thrombocytopenia. Established competitor in the JAKi-experienced MF segment that Kartos is also targeting.
• AbbVie: Developing navitoclax (BCL-2/BCL-xL inhibitor) in Phase 3 (TRANSFORM-1, TRANSFORM-2) for myelofibrosis in combination with ruxolitinib. Direct late-stage combination competitor to Kartos in JAKi-naïve MF.

Emerging players

• Disc Medicine: Clinical-stage biotech developing therapeutics targeting iron homeostasis and hematopoiesis, with DISC-0974 in Phase 1b/2 for anemia in myelofibrosis. Emerging heme-oncology peer operating in the same MF patient ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kartos-therapeutics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Kartos Therapeutics