Starget Pharma, an Israeli startup developing AI-powered precision therapies for difficult-to-treat cancers, has secured a $5.1 million investment from MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Cancer Focus fund. This latest funding round supports the clinical development of Starget’s unique radioligand-based therapies, designed to deliver targeted radiotherapy directly to tumor cells while sparing healthy tissue. Expected to revolutionize cancer treatment, Starget’s technology offers hope to patients with complex cancers and limited options.
Headquartered in Tel Aviv, Starget Pharma was established in 2019 under the ARC Innovation umbrella of Sheba Medical Center. The company specializes in radioligand therapy, which involves designing radiation-emitting compounds that precisely target and destroy cancer cells. With patient recruitment for upcoming clinical trials set to begin in early 2025, this investment will accelerate the clinical testing phase and expand the application of Starget’s technology to cancers like sarcomas, neuroendocrine tumors, liver cancer, and melanoma.
According to Sigal Clemenson-Kushnir, CEO and co-founder of Starget Pharma, “This investment highlights the potential of our radioligand-based technology to deliver safer and more effective treatments for complex cancers. We look forward to collaborating with MD Anderson in our upcoming clinical trial, where early studies have already demonstrated safety and strong tumor cell uptake.” Clemenson-Kushnir believes that Starget’s technology could transform cancer treatment by providing a less invasive, highly targeted alternative for patients with advanced, hard-to-treat cancers.
The AI-driven platform developed by Starget combines diagnostic imaging with therapeutic precision, creating an individualized treatment experience that outperforms traditional methods. This dual-function platform has the potential to set a new standard for radiotherapy by accurately targeting only tumor cells, thereby reducing damage to surrounding tissues and minimizing adverse effects. The platform’s advanced algorithm allows for a greater range of precision than many traditional radiotherapy methods, which can compromise healthy tissues in the process.
Starget Pharma’s collaboration with Sheba’s ARC (Accelerate, Redesign, Collaborate) Innovation represents a pivotal milestone in Sheba’s broader mission to foster cutting-edge healthcare solutions. As the largest hospital in Israel and a global medical innovation leader, Sheba Medical Center plays a key role in supporting projects like Starget’s. ARC was founded in 2019 as the innovation arm of Sheba to facilitate partnerships that reshape healthcare and accelerate advancements in the treatment of complex diseases like cancer. The partnership between ARC and Starget is an example of ARC’s mission to empower healthcare innovation globally, creating collaborative solutions that bridge research and clinical practice.
Professor Yitshak Kreiss, Director General of Sheba Medical Center, hailed MD Anderson’s investment as a significant endorsement of Israel’s medical innovation sector. “The decision of a leading institution like MD Anderson to invest in Israeli medical innovation is yet another vote of confidence in our high-tech nation. Israel’s healthcare system has become a global hub for medical innovation, demonstrating time and again that our creativity, boldness, and excellence are reshaping the future of healthcare.” Starget Pharma’s clinical trial will be conducted in the U.S. at MD Anderson and other prominent institutions, further solidifying Sheba’s international impact on medical innovation.
Professor Eyal Zimlichman, Chief Transformation and Innovation Officer at Sheba and Director of ARC, emphasized that Starget’s technology exemplifies the type of breakthrough advancements emerging from ARC. “Starget Pharma’s solution is among a series of technologies from ARC that are spearheading a global healthcare revolution. We see this technology as a pivotal advancement in both the healthcare system and cancer treatment, enabling precise diagnosis and treatment of tumors such as sarcomas, neuroendocrine tumors, melanoma, and liver cancer.”
Starget Pharma’s approach to oncology also reflects a broader shift towards precision medicine, where treatments are tailored to meet the unique biological characteristics of each patient’s cancer. Radioligand therapy has gained momentum as a promising alternative to traditional methods, especially for patients facing advanced cancers with limited treatment options. This method involves engineering peptides to specifically bind to cancer cells, allowing radiation to be delivered directly to tumor sites with minimal impact on healthy cells.
By leveraging AI, Starget Pharma’s platform not only identifies the optimal radiation dosage but also continuously adjusts treatment protocols to suit the evolving nature of each patient’s cancer, making it a flexible and dynamic option in the fight against cancer. As global healthcare systems prioritize innovation, Starget’s technology could pave the way for safer, more effective, and highly personalized treatments, ultimately contributing to the advancement of oncology care worldwide.
