Traws Pharma

Traws Pharma, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, operates with a focus on developing small-molecule oral therapies for respiratory viral diseases and cancer. Originally founded as Onconova Therapeutics, Inc. on December 22, 1998, by Ramesh Kumar and E. Premkumar Reddy, the company rebranded to Traws Pharma, Inc. in April 2024 following a merger with Trawsfynydd Therapeutics Inc. This strategic combination integrated Onconova's clinical-stage oncology pipeline with Trawsfynydd's small molecules targeting respiratory viruses. The company is headquartered in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

The company's business model centers on the discovery and clinical development of drug candidates to address unmet medical needs, particularly in overcoming acquired resistance to current medications. Its revenue generation is tied to the successful progression of its products through clinical trials, regulatory approval, and eventual commercialization or partnership agreements. Traws Pharma has entered into definitive agreements to raise significant capital to fund its operations and extend its financial runway, with investments from institutional investors like Perceptive Advisors and OrbiMed. The company's leadership team includes Interim CEO Iain Dukes, who brings extensive experience from leadership roles at Merck, Amgen, and GlaxoSmithKline.

Traws Pharma's product pipeline features several promising candidates. In its antiviral portfolio, Tivoxavir marboxil (TXM) is being developed as a single-dose oral treatment for seasonal and H5N1 bird flu, targeting the influenza cap-dependent endonuclease. Ratutrelvir (TRX01) is an oral Mpro inhibitor for COVID-19, designed to be administered without ritonavir, thereby avoiding potential drug-drug interactions common in vulnerable patient populations. The oncology pipeline, for which the company is seeking development and commercialization partners, includes Narazaciclib, a multi-targeted kinase inhibitor for solid tumors and hematological malignancies, and Rigosertib, which is being investigated for various cancers. The company leverages a proprietary chemistry platform, enhanced with artificial intelligence and machine learning, to streamline drug design and development.

Keywords: clinical-stage biopharmaceutical, small molecule therapies, respiratory viral diseases, oncology therapeutics, antiviral drug development, influenza treatment, COVID-19 treatment, bird flu, cancer research, drug resistance, rational drug design, Mpro inhibitor, endonuclease inhibitor, kinase inhibitor, narazaciclib, rigosertib, tivoxavir marboxil, ratutrelvir, Onconova Therapeutics, Trawsfynydd Therapeutics, pharmaceutical development, oral drug candidates, pandemic preparedness, drug discovery