Pediatric oncology
We develop cancer drugs for children.
Oncoheroes Biosciences is a biotechnology company exclusively dedicated to pediatric cancer drug development.
Why Oncoheroes exists
Children are often brought into drug development years later
Childhood cancer encompasses many diseases. Some pediatric tumors differ biologically from adult cancers, and children may need different doses and formulations. Yet oncology drug development has historically prioritized adults.
- 400,000
- Estimated children and adolescents ages 0–19 who develop cancer worldwide each year.
- 6 of 117
- Only about 5% of the cancer drugs studied were approved for use in children when the FDA first approved them.
- 6.5 years
- Median time from the first trial in humans to the first trial in children in the same study.
Sources · World Health Organization · 2019 study of non-hormonal cancer drugs first approved by the FDA from 1997 to 2017
The gap after discovery
Promising science needs a development partner
Discovery can show why a drug is worth testing. Getting it into a pediatric trial takes a different set of capabilities and a team accountable for putting them together.
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Researchers find a candidate
Laboratory studies can identify a promising drug candidate. The next step is to test it in a clinical trial to learn how it behaves in patients.
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Development is where programs can stall
A trial requires a reliable drug supply, a regulatory plan, clinical sites and funding. Small pediatric patient populations can limit commercial interest. Without an industry partner to take on development, promising candidates can stall before reaching the clinic.
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Oncoheroes takes on the development work
We bring industry capabilities to academic pediatric oncology networks and build a plan for generating the evidence the program needs to advance.
See how the model works →
Our pipeline
Three investigational programs
Phase I/II study in start-up
Volasertib
PLK1 inhibitor
Rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, medulloblastoma, neuroblastoma, and diffuse midline glioma (DMG), including DIPG.
View program →Phase I/II study in start-up
Dovitinib
Multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor
Osteosarcoma and other pediatric bone sarcomas.
View program →Pediatric preclinical evaluation
Stenoparib
Dual PARP and tankyrase inhibitor
Neuroblastoma, Ewing sarcoma, and osteosarcoma are under consideration.
View program →Our model
A biotech model built for pediatric cancer
Oncoheroes pioneered a model that combines academic-led trials through Phase II with industry drug development capabilities. We apply it to our own pipeline and to programs we co-develop with partners.
01 · Our pipeline
In-license or acquire promising compounds
We evaluate the pediatric evidence, development history and feasibility of manufacturing and supplying each candidate for clinical studies.
Explore our pipeline →02 · Co-development
Advance a program with us
We work with biotech and pharma companies, research institutions and foundations that bring an asset or program with potential relevance to pediatric cancer.
Explore co-development →Where the two paths meet
Oncoheroes coordinates development
- Manufacturing and drug supply
- Regulatory planning
- Clinical strategy
- Data coordination
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01 · Phase I and II
Academic teams lead early trials
Academic networks lead multicenter trials and patient care. Oncoheroes supplies the drug and supports regulatory planning, safety oversight and data quality.
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02 · Evidence and decisions
Phase II evidence shapes the path to approval
Safety, dosing and early activity data help us decide whether to advance a program and discuss the next steps with regulators.
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03 · Potential approval pathways
Seek approval for pediatric indications
Phase II results can guide the design of a pivotal study to support a regulatory approval application. If the evidence is compelling and FDA criteria are met, Phase II results may also support an accelerated approval application, with a confirmatory study to verify clinical benefit.
Why the model is viable
What makes a pediatric-only portfolio possible
- Existing clinical infrastructure
- Academic networks provide investigators, hospital sites and trial infrastructure for early studies.
- Shared development capabilities
- Oncoheroes applies manufacturing, regulatory and clinical expertise across multiple programs.
- Funding matched to the stage
- Foundations and mission-aligned investors help fund early work. Phase II evidence guides where to commit more resources.
Clinical development
Upcoming pediatric trials
Volasertib · Phase I/II · Start-up
INFORM2 VolVin
A multinational basket study evaluating volasertib with vinorelbine in selected high-risk pediatric cancers.
Led by Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ)
Dovitinib · Phase I/II · Start-up
Dovitinib pediatric study
A multinational study evaluating dovitinib in osteosarcoma, including in combination with standard chemotherapy.
Led by SickKids and Children’s Cancer Institute
Co-development partnerships
Bring us a pediatric development opportunity
We work with biotech and pharma companies, research institutions and foundations that have a promising compound, a clinical concept or a pediatric program that needs development support. Together, we can review the evidence for a pediatric indication, identify gaps in the development plan and agree on who will lead each part of the work.
Depending on the program, Oncoheroes can help shape the regulatory and clinical strategy, coordinate manufacturing and drug supply, and work with academic investigators to plan clinical evaluation.
Explore partnerships →Supporting foundations
Helping build Oncoheroes
Foundations have helped us build a company dedicated to pediatric cancer drug development and advance promising programs toward clinical evaluation.
Meet the foundations →Our name and symbol
Why Oncoheroes?
Children facing cancer are often called heroes. They inspired our name.
Oncoheroes brings together oncology, the work we do, and the children at the heart of it. The logo tells that same story in pictures. A child facing cancer imagines becoming a superhero, takes flight and accelerates into the sky. The trail of light becomes the star in our logo.
- 01 · The child
- 02 · The superhero
- 03 · The flight
- 04 · The trail of light
- 05 · Light takes shape
- 06 · Refining the star
- 07 · The two-star mark
The finished Oncoheroes symbol