Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
February 26, 2026
Kairos Pharma Expands Oncology Pipeline with Strategic Celyn Therapeutics Acquisition
TLDR
- Kairos Pharma's acquisition of CL-273 and CL-741 from Celyn Therapeutics positions it to dominate the multi-billion dollar NSCLC market with dual EGFR and MET pathway inhibitors.
- Kairos Pharma acquires worldwide rights to CL-273, a pre-IND pan-EGFR inhibitor, and CL-741, a Phase 1-ready c-MET kinase inhibitor, expanding its oncology pipeline for NSCLC treatment.
- This acquisition advances treatments for non-small cell lung cancer patients by targeting drug resistance mechanisms to potentially extend progression-free survival and improve outcomes.
- Kairos Pharma's strategic move adds two novel cancer drugs targeting EGFR mutations and MET-driven resistance, showcasing innovative approaches to overcoming treatment barriers in oncology.
Impact - Why it Matters
This development matters because it represents a strategic advancement in addressing one of oncology's most persistent challenges: drug resistance in cancer treatment. Non-small cell lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, and resistance to EGFR inhibitors has been a major limitation in treatment efficacy. The acquisition of CL-273 and CL-741 positions Kairos Pharma to potentially develop therapies that could overcome compensatory signaling pathways—a sophisticated resistance mechanism where cancer cells activate alternative survival pathways when primary pathways are blocked. For patients, this could translate to more durable responses and extended progression-free survival. For the oncology field, successful development of these assets could establish new treatment paradigms for managing resistant cancers. The focus on both EGFR and MET pathways is particularly significant given their established roles in NSCLC progression and resistance development. This strategic move also demonstrates how smaller biotech companies can rapidly expand their pipelines through targeted acquisitions, potentially accelerating the development of novel therapies for patients with limited treatment options.
Summary
Kairos Pharma Ltd. (NYSE American: KAPA), a Los Angeles-based oncology therapeutics company, has announced a significant strategic move by signing a term sheet to acquire key assets from Celyn Therapeutics Inc. This proposed acquisition would grant Kairos worldwide rights to two promising drug candidates: CL-273, a pre-IND, wild-type-sparing pan-EGFR inhibitor, and CL-741, a Phase 1-ready, oral type IIb c-MET kinase inhibitor. Both assets target non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), representing a multi-billion dollar market opportunity. The company emphasized that this transaction would substantially expand its oncology pipeline with late-preclinical and Phase 1-ready candidates specifically designed to address EGFR mutations and MET-driven resistance mechanisms in NSCLC.
The strategic acquisition positions Kairos to potentially overcome critical challenges in cancer treatment. The company highlighted that dual inhibition of the EGFR and MET pathways could help overcome compensatory signaling—a common mechanism of drug resistance—and potentially extend progression-free survival for patients. These assets are slated for potential development as both monotherapies and in combination with other treatments, pending completion of the transaction. This move comes as Kairos continues advancing its lead candidate, ENV-105, an antibody targeting CD105 that's currently in Phase 2 trials for castrate-resistant prostate cancer and Phase 1 trials for NSCLC. The company's approach utilizes structural biology to combat drug resistance and immune suppression in cancer, addressing significant unmet medical needs in oncology.
The news was distributed through BioMedWire, a specialized communications platform within the Dynamic Brand Portfolio of IBN that focuses on biotechnology and life sciences developments. BioMedWire provides comprehensive distribution services including wire solutions, article syndication to over 5,000 outlets, press release enhancement, and social media distribution through IBN's network. For investors seeking more information, the latest updates relating to KAPA are available in the company's newsroom, and the full press release can be accessed through the provided link. This strategic acquisition represents a calculated expansion of Kairos Pharma's therapeutic arsenal in the competitive oncology space, potentially enhancing its position in addressing resistant cancer mechanisms.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by InvestorBrandNetwork (IBN). Read the original source here, Kairos Pharma Expands Oncology Pipeline with Strategic Celyn Therapeutics Acquisition
