Loading organizations...
Kolltan Pharmaceuticals, based in New Haven, CT, United States, is a biotechnology company focused on developing next-generation anti-cancer therapeutics that target receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). The company has secured significant venture capital funding, including over $35 million in a Series A round and $60 million in a Series D round in spring 2013. In 2013, Kolltan filed an S-1 for a planned $86 million initial public offering while its lead program was in Phase I clinical trials. Key investors have included Elm Street Ventures, Fidelity, KLP Enterprises, Gilead Sciences, and Auven Therapeutics. Their pipeline includes both clinical and preclinical stage programs aimed at addressing various cancers. Kolltan Pharmaceuticals was founded in 2007 by Joseph Schlessinger and Arthur Altschul. Its business model centers on venture capital-funded biotech through equity financings like Series A and Series D rounds.
Kolltan Pharmaceuticals has raised $115.0M across 4 funding rounds.
Kolltan Pharmaceuticals has raised $115.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Kolltan Pharmaceuticals has raised $115.0M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $60.0M Series D in March 2014.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2014 | $60M Series D | KLP Enterprises | Amara VC, Javelin Venture Partners, Osage University Partners, Plug & Play Ventures, Rick Lewis, Franklin Berger, Deerfield Management, HBM Healthcare Investments, Purdue Pharma | Announced |
| Jan 20, 2010 | $10M Venture Round | Auven Therapeutics | Tichenor Ventures | Announced |
| Oct 1, 2009 | $5M Series A | — | Amara VC, Javelin Venture Partners, Osage University Partners, Plug & Play Ventures, Rick Lewis | Announced |
| Jul 1, 2008 | $40M Series A | — | Amara VC, Javelin Venture Partners, Osage University Partners, Plug & Play Ventures, Rick Lewis | Announced |
Kolltan Pharmaceuticals has raised $115.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Kolltan Pharmaceuticals's investors include KLP Enterprises, Amara VC, Javelin Venture Partners, Osage University Partners, Plug & Play Ventures, Rick Lewis, Franklin Berger, Deerfield Management, HBM Healthcare Investments, Purdue Pharma, Auven Therapeutics, Tichenor Ventures.
Kolltan Pharmaceuticals was a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing antibody-based drugs targeting receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), primarily for oncology applications.[1][3] Its candidates aimed to overcome tumor resistance mechanisms linked to existing tyrosine kinase inhibitors, particularly for patients failing other cancer therapies, with backing from RTK biology experts; the company raised $135M before being acquired.[1]
Kolltan served the oncology sector by addressing unmet needs in solid tumors and neoplasms through drugs like KTN0182A (DNA inhibitor, preclinical for solid tumors) and KTN-0073 (NTRK/c-Met inhibitor, pending phase).[1][2] Growth culminated in acquisition, reflecting validation in biotech, though specific post-acquisition momentum is unavailable from results.[1]
Founded in 2007, Kolltan Pharmaceuticals emerged as a biopharma player focused on RTK-targeted antibodies, filing for IPO in a 2014 S-1 with the SEC that detailed its clinical-stage pipeline.[1][3] Key details on founders or initial traction are sparse in available data, but early efforts centered on preclinical and clinical data demonstrating potential against resistance in oncology, supported by prominent RTK thought leaders.[1]
Pivotal moments included advancing candidates like KTN0182A to preclinical stages for solid tumors and KTN-0073 toward pending development, building toward its acquired status after raising $135M.[1][2]
Kolltan rode the early 2010s wave of precision oncology, where RTK targeting gained traction amid rising cancer resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors—a market force amplified by failures in standard therapies.[1] Timing aligned with biopharma's shift toward biologics over small molecules for better specificity, influencing the ecosystem by validating antibody approaches in RTK-driven tumors and contributing to acquisition trends that consolidate promising pipelines.[1][3]
Its work highlighted broader biotech momentum in immuno-oncology and resistance-breaking therapies, paving ways for successors in neoplasms treatment amid evolving kinase inhibitor landscapes.[2]
As an acquired entity post-2014 IPO filing, Kolltan's pipeline likely integrated into a larger player's oncology efforts, with assets like NTRK inhibitors potentially advancing amid ongoing kinase therapy innovations.[1][2] Trends in antibody-drug conjugates and multi-target RTK inhibitors will shape similar platforms, evolving its legacy through enhanced resistance solutions in solid tumors.
This positions Kolltan as a foundational player in RTK oncology, underscoring how targeted biologics drive biopharma progress beyond its independent run.[1]
