Starget Pharma has raised $18 million in its Series A funding round. The investment was led by Ilex Medical along with U.S.-based investors like Louisiana Growth Fund and Cancer Focus Fund BRF, plus other supporters.
The company will use this funding to further develop its Smart Targeted Radioligands (STRs), which are designed to deliver more precise and effective treatments for cancer patients through precision oncology therapies.
At the same time as the funding, the company also announced a strategic partnership with the Center for Molecular Imaging and Therapy (CMIT) in Louisiana.
This partnership will help the company improve the development and manufacturing of a new generation of targeted radiopharmaceuticals, which are designed to treat diseases like cancer more precisely.
Founded in 2019, Starget Pharma has raised a total of $38 million so far, including this latest funding round. The company has 20 employees working at its headquarters in Ness Ziona.
The company was started by CEO Sigal Kalmanson Cusnir along with her brother Ronen Kalmanson.
Starget works in the field of radiopharmaceuticals. These are special medicines that combine regular drugs with radioactive materials to help diagnose and treat cancer. This method targets cancer cells directly while reducing harm to healthy tissues.
One big advantage of this approach is that the same molecule is used for both diagnosis and treatment. First, it is given with a mild radioactive isotope to check through imaging if the tumor absorbs it well. If the scan shows strong uptake in the tumor, the same molecule is then combined with a stronger isotope to deliver focused cancer treatment.
“We are combining Israel’s strength in artificial intelligence with medical breakthroughs,” said Kalmanson Cusnir. “The AI platform we have developed enables us to discover and develop precision radiopharmaceuticals faster than industry standards, bringing the promise of this field to multiple cancer types. The current funding will allow us to accelerate our transition to human trials and expand our operations in the United States.”
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