Top 5 Brain cancer treatment startups in USA
Apr 05, 2026
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1
Funding: $1.8B
Nuvalent develops targeted therapies targeting clinically proven kinases in oncology. Its drugs are small molecules that precisely interact with the target kinase in the original tumor and the mutated target kinase in the drug-resistant tumor. This allows the drugs to treat both the original tumor and tumors with emerging resistance mutations. Structure-based design technology addresses the issue of kinase selectivity to minimize side effects and ensure durable treatment responses. The company's pipeline includes clinical trials against non-small cell lung cancer and the treatment of brain metastases.
Nuvalent develops targeted therapies targeting clinically proven kinases in oncology. Its drugs are small molecules that precisely interact with the target kinase in the original tumor and the mutated target kinase in the drug-resistant tumor. This allows the drugs to treat both the original tumor and tumors with emerging resistance mutations. Structure-based design technology addresses the issue of kinase selectivity to minimize side effects and ensure durable treatment responses. The company's pipeline includes clinical trials against non-small cell lung cancer and the treatment of brain metastases.
2
Funding: $253.7M
Imvax develops personalized immunotherapeutic cancer vaccines against glioblastoma and other solid tumors that are created from the patient's own tumor cells. Imvax's Goldspire platform delivers a combo of patient-derived tumor cells and an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (IMV-001) against the insulin-like growth factor receptor type 1 (IGF-1R). This combination is loaded into implantable, proprietary biodiffusion chambers. This technology is designed to provide both innate and adaptive immune stimulation to overcome the challenges associated with the variability of solid tumors and their ability to suppress the immune system. Imvax is developing a diverse portfolio of drugs against glioblastoma, endometrial cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, urothelial cancer and ovarian cancer.
Imvax develops personalized immunotherapeutic cancer vaccines against glioblastoma and other solid tumors that are created from the patient's own tumor cells. Imvax's Goldspire platform delivers a combo of patient-derived tumor cells and an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (IMV-001) against the insulin-like growth factor receptor type 1 (IGF-1R). This combination is loaded into implantable, proprietary biodiffusion chambers. This technology is designed to provide both innate and adaptive immune stimulation to overcome the challenges associated with the variability of solid tumors and their ability to suppress the immune system. Imvax is developing a diverse portfolio of drugs against glioblastoma, endometrial cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, urothelial cancer and ovarian cancer.
3
Funding: $11.5M
AiM Medical Robotics is developing portable, MRI-compatible surgical robot that can be useed in the MRI room and operating room. The company's goal is to improve outcomes for patients undergoing neurosurgery for functional brain disorders (Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, etc.) and brain cancer. It also can save hospitals money by eliminating errors and reducing procedure time. AiM's robotic platform can integrate into existing workflow and provide surgeons with real-time intraoperative MRI visualization combined with robotic control to ensure precise placement of neurostimulation electrodes, biopsies, tumor ablation and targeted intracranial delivery of therapeutic drugs. The system leverages AI to provide surgeons with predictive information in real time.
AiM Medical Robotics is developing portable, MRI-compatible surgical robot that can be useed in the MRI room and operating room. The company's goal is to improve outcomes for patients undergoing neurosurgery for functional brain disorders (Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, etc.) and brain cancer. It also can save hospitals money by eliminating errors and reducing procedure time. AiM's robotic platform can integrate into existing workflow and provide surgeons with real-time intraoperative MRI visualization combined with robotic control to ensure precise placement of neurostimulation electrodes, biopsies, tumor ablation and targeted intracranial delivery of therapeutic drugs. The system leverages AI to provide surgeons with predictive information in real time.
4
Funding: $3.5M
OX2 Therapeutics is developing immunotherapy for the treatment of brain tumors based on scientific discoveries of the University of Minnesota. OX2 Therapeutics has developed a first-of-its-kind peptide that targets the immune checkpoint activation receptor CD200. The peptide activates the immune system through a mechanism that modulates the suppressive effects of the immune checkpoints CD200, PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA4, enabling more potent antitumor response. CD200 is upregulated on tumor-associated vascular endothelial cells, creating an immunological barrier that inactivates T cells (cancer-fighting cells) as they attempt to penetrate the tumor environment. The company has received FDA clearance to conduct clinical trials of combination therapy for the treatment of high-grade glioblastoma, for which there is no curative therapy.
OX2 Therapeutics is developing immunotherapy for the treatment of brain tumors based on scientific discoveries of the University of Minnesota. OX2 Therapeutics has developed a first-of-its-kind peptide that targets the immune checkpoint activation receptor CD200. The peptide activates the immune system through a mechanism that modulates the suppressive effects of the immune checkpoints CD200, PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA4, enabling more potent antitumor response. CD200 is upregulated on tumor-associated vascular endothelial cells, creating an immunological barrier that inactivates T cells (cancer-fighting cells) as they attempt to penetrate the tumor environment. The company has received FDA clearance to conduct clinical trials of combination therapy for the treatment of high-grade glioblastoma, for which there is no curative therapy.
5
KiraGen Bio develops off-shelf, multiplex-edited cell therapies that improve CAR-T technology for treating solid tumors. The company says that solid tumors suppress immune CAR-T cells in their microenvironment and its TME-Guards technology protects CAR-T cells - allows them to completely ignore suppressive signals from the tumor microenvironment by disabling the corresponding receptors. This ensures safer treatment, avoiding dose increases and immune cell over-activation. The company is conducting clinical trials of its drugs against glioblastoma, glioma, and sarcoma.
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