Starget and CMIT: Next generation RLTs

Starget and CMIT: Next generation RLTs

Starget Pharma, Center for Molecular Imaging and Therapy and Cancer Focus Fund Announce Strategic Collaboration to Advance Radioligand Therapies

This collaboration brings together AI-driven discovery, translational infrastructure, and oncology-focused expertise to accelerate development of next-generation cancer therapies.

This collaboration brings together AI-driven discovery, translational infrastructure, and oncology-focused expertise to accelerate development of next-generation cancer therapies.

Starget Pharma Inc, a U.S. clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company, today announced a strategic collaboration with the Center for Molecular Imaging and Therapy (CMIT) and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center-affiliated Cancer Focus Fund to advance next-generation peptide radioligand therapies for cancer.


The collaboration will support the advancement of Starget’s pipeline toward clinical development, including its lead first-in-class SSTR3-targeted theranostic pair for sarcoma, neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), and malignant melanoma; expand translational and manufacturing capabilities in the United States; and fund the establishment of the translational program at CMIT.

Starget Pharma Inc, a U.S. clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company, today announced a strategic collaboration with the Center for Molecular Imaging and Therapy (CMIT) and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center-affiliated Cancer Focus Fund to advance next-generation peptide radioligand therapies for cancer.


The collaboration will support the advancement of Starget’s pipeline toward clinical development, including its lead first-in-class SSTR3-targeted theranostic pair for sarcoma, neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), and malignant melanoma; expand translational and manufacturing capabilities in the United States; and fund the establishment of the translational program at CMIT.

Sigal Kalmanson Cusnir

CEO of Starget Pharma.

“This marks a pivotal milestone for Starget, it enables us to scale our in silico, AI-driven discovery platform, accelerate drug development, and establish critical U.S.-based translational infrastructure."

“This marks a pivotal milestone for Starget, it enables us to scale our in silico, AI-driven discovery platform, accelerate drug development, and establish critical U.S.-based translational infrastructure."

“This marks a pivotal milestone for Starget, it enables us to scale our in silico, AI-driven discovery platform, accelerate drug development, and establish critical U.S.-based translational infrastructure."

"Our collaboration with CMIT strengthens our ability to rapidly translate high-quality radioligand candidates, discovered in our Israeli research center, into the clinic, while delivering meaningful scientific and economic impact for Louisiana.”

"Our collaboration with CMIT strengthens our ability to rapidly translate high-quality radioligand candidates, discovered in our Israeli research center, into the clinic, while delivering meaningful scientific and economic impact for Louisiana.”

Radiologand Development

Radiologand Development

Radiologand Development

Accelerating Radioligand Development through AI-Enabled Discover & U.S. Translantion

Accelerating Radioligand Development through AI-Enabled Discover & U.S. Translantion

Starget’s proprietary in silico, AI-driven platform is designed to accelerate the discovery and development of novel radioligand therapies (RLT) across a broad range of cancer targets. By leveraging computational modeling and data-driven prediction, the platform enables Starget to rapidly identify and optimize peptide-based ligands, select appropriate radioisotopes, and prioritize candidates with the highest probability of clinical success, maximizing speed and efficiency.

 

The collaboration with CMIT will provide the downstream capabilities required to advance these AI-selected candidates through preclinical validation and into early-phase clinical development. The collaboration will leverage CMIT’s integrated infrastructure, including molecular imaging, radiochemistry, preclinical and clinical research, and radiopharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution.

 

“By pairing Starget’s in silico discovery capabilities with CMIT’s translational and manufacturing expertise, we create a highly efficient end-to-end development pathway for radiopharmaceuticals,” said Stephen Lokitz, Ph.D., Executive Director of CMIT. “This collaboration allows promising candidates to move rapidly from computational design to clinical evaluation.”

Starget’s proprietary in silico, AI-driven platform is designed to accelerate the discovery and development of novel radioligand therapies (RLT) across a broad range of cancer targets. By leveraging computational modeling and data-driven prediction, the platform enables Starget to rapidly identify and optimize peptide-based ligands, select appropriate radioisotopes, and prioritize candidates with the highest probability of clinical success, maximizing speed and efficiency.

 

The collaboration with CMIT will provide the downstream capabilities required to advance these AI-selected candidates through preclinical validation and into early-phase clinical development. The collaboration will leverage CMIT’s integrated infrastructure, including molecular imaging, radiochemistry, preclinical and clinical research, and radiopharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution.

 

“By pairing Starget’s in silico discovery capabilities with CMIT’s translational and manufacturing expertise, we create a highly efficient end-to-end development pathway for radiopharmaceuticals,” said Stephen Lokitz, Ph.D., Executive Director of CMIT. “This collaboration allows promising candidates to move rapidly from computational design to clinical evaluation.”

Starget’s proprietary in silico, AI-driven platform is designed to accelerate the discovery and development of novel radioligand therapies (RLT) across a broad range of cancer targets. By leveraging computational modeling and data-driven prediction, the platform enables Starget to rapidly identify and optimize peptide-based ligands, select appropriate radioisotopes, and prioritize candidates with the highest probability of clinical success, maximizing speed and efficiency.

 

The collaboration with CMIT will provide the downstream capabilities required to advance these AI-selected candidates through preclinical validation and into early-phase clinical development. The collaboration will leverage CMIT’s integrated infrastructure, including molecular imaging, radiochemistry, preclinical and clinical research, and radiopharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution.

 

“By pairing Starget’s in silico discovery capabilities with CMIT’s translational and manufacturing expertise, we create a highly efficient end-to-end development pathway for radiopharmaceuticals,” said Stephen Lokitz, Ph.D., Executive Director of CMIT. “This collaboration allows promising candidates to move rapidly from computational design to clinical evaluation.”

Oncology

Oncology

Oncology

Advancing Precision Oncology

Advancing Precision Oncology

Radioligand therapies (RLT) are transforming cancer treatment by delivering targeted radioactive payloads directly to cancer cells while minimizing exposure to healthy tissue. Starget’s AI-enabled discovery approach allows for rapid generation of both diagnostic and therapeutic radioligands across multiple hard-to-treat cancer indications, supporting a scalable precision oncology pipeline.

 

“Starget is the only RLT company with an AI-powered peptide discovery platform that advances programs such as its first-in-class SSTR3 theranostic pair to meet the rapidly growing demand for next-generation RLTs,” said Ross Barrett, Managing Partner of Cancer Focus Fund. “This collaboration positions the company to efficiently advance high-potential radioligand therapies toward the clinic.”

 

John F. George Jr., M.D., President and CEO of BRF, added: “This collaboration is a significant step forward for both cancer research and economic development in Louisiana, reinforcing our region’s role in advanced radiopharmaceutical innovation."

Radioligand therapies (RLT) are transforming cancer treatment by delivering targeted radioactive payloads directly to cancer cells while minimizing exposure to healthy tissue. Starget’s AI-enabled discovery approach allows for rapid generation of both diagnostic and therapeutic radioligands across multiple hard-to-treat cancer indications, supporting a scalable precision oncology pipeline.

 

“Starget is the only RLT company with an AI-powered peptide discovery platform that advances programs such as its first-in-class SSTR3 theranostic pair to meet the rapidly growing demand for next-generation RLTs,” said Ross Barrett, Managing Partner of Cancer Focus Fund. “This collaboration positions the company to efficiently advance high-potential radioligand therapies toward the clinic.”

 

John F. George Jr., M.D., President and CEO of BRF, added: “This collaboration is a significant step forward for both cancer research and economic development in Louisiana, reinforcing our region’s role in advanced radiopharmaceutical innovation."

About BRF

About BRF

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BRF, headquartered in Shreveport, Louisiana, is an innovation hub and economic development organization establishing North Louisiana as a preferred destination for high-growth initiatives. Diversifying the region’s economy is its mission. It fulfills this mission through initiatives that start new businesses, recruit new businesses and retain current businesses in the region, and through supporting the development of a science and technology-based workforce.

About CMIT

About CMIT

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The Center for Molecular Imaging and Therapy (CMIT), a wholly owned subsidiary of BRF, offers a full continuum of research and development services in molecular imaging, radiopharmaceutical discovery, manufacturing, and clinical translation. CMIT’s model allows for streamlined advancement of novel diagnostics and therapies from concept through imaging to clinical testing and distribution — a unique “one-stop-shop” capability in the radiopharmaceutical space.

About Starget

About Starget

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Starget Pharma is a clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company developing next-generation peptide RLT for cancer, with operations in the U.S. and Israel. Starget’s platform integrates AI-driven peptide design, theranostic imaging, and rapid clinical insight, creating a repeatable engine capable of generating multiple radioligand therapy programs and capturing outsized value across this expanding therapeutic category. Starget’s programs have a clear first- and best-in-class potential, with multiple clinical entries planned for 2026.

About the Cancer Focus Fund

About the Cancer Focus Fund

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Cancer Focus Fund is an investment fund designed to provide financial and logistical support to promising cancer therapies in an effort to accelerate the progress of these compelling treatments through Investigational New Drug (IND) approval and Phase I and Phase Ib/II studies. This innovative venture capital fund aligns investment professionals with the expertise and infrastructure of MD Anderson to aid small to midsize biopharmaceutical companies, who often face challenges conducting early-stage clinical studies of novel treatments.

Contact

Get in touch

We’re here to support patient access to diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals and imaging. We also support partners’ research, clinical and manufacturing needs. Reach out to us with questions about our capabilities and our team. 

Address

2120 Kings Hwy., Shreveport, LA, 71103

Email

Telephone

318.716.4000

Contact

Get in touch

We’re here to support patient access to diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals and imaging. We also support partners’ research, clinical and manufacturing needs. Reach out to us with questions about our capabilities and our team. 

Address

2120 Kings Hwy., Shreveport, LA, 71103

Email

Telephone

318.716.4000

Contact

Get in touch

We’re here to support patient access to diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals and imaging. We also support partners’ research, clinical and manufacturing needs. Reach out to us with questions about our capabilities and our team. 

Address

2120 Kings Hwy., Shreveport, LA, 71103

Email

Telephone

318.716.4000