Houston companies, researchers and institutions led the latest round of funding from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).
The institute recently announced 73 grants totaling nearly $154 million, with more than $120 million awarded to Houston, underscoring the region’s position as a hub for medical research and innovation.
This investment builds on Houston’s strong track record of attracting CPRIT funding. In 2024 alone, Houston received $157.3 million from the institute, according to the Greater Houston Partnership’s Houston Facts publication.
Learn more about Houston’s life sciences industry.
CPRIT Reaches Major Milestone
The wave of investment marks a significant moment for CPRIT, pushing the institute past $4 billion in total funding since its creation in 2007, more than any other state in the nation.
“Today marks an important milestone for CPRIT and for every Texan affected by cancer,” said CPRIT CEO Kristen Doyle. “Texas has invested $4 billion in the fight against one of the world’s greatest public health challenges. Over 16 years, that support has helped Texas lead the search for breakthrough treatments, develop new cancer-fighting drugs and devices, and—most importantly—save tens of thousands of lives through early cancer detection and prevention. Every Texan should know this effort matters, and we’re not finished yet. Together, we will conquer cancer.”
Awards to Houston Companies
All eight Houston companies that received funding were awarded in the product development category, securing $62.9 million collectively. Most notably, CrossBridge Bio secured $15 million to advance its antibody-drug conjugate, designed to treat breast, colorectal, lung and bronchus cancers, into clinical trials.
“This grant is a strong validation of the innovation behind our dual-payload platform and reflects the importance of bringing new treatment options to patients facing difficult-to-treat cancers,” said Michael Torres, Chief Executive Officer of CrossBridge Bio. “CPRIT’s support allows us to accelerate development with the urgency this opportunity deserves.”
Other significant awards:
- OncoMAGNETx – nearly $14 million to develop its non-invasive, wearable magnetic field device for treating brain cancers.
- Immunogenesis – $10.8 million to advance its Phase 1b trial of IMGS-001, aimed at treating cancers resistant to current immunotherapies.
- Diakonos Oncology – $7.1 million to advance DOC1021, a first-of-its-kind autologous dendritic cell vaccine, into a planned Phase 1/2 study for refractory melanoma.
Awards to Houston Institutions & Researchers
Houston institutions and researchers also earned a significant share of the funding, receiving $57.9 collectively.
A small portion of this total was directed toward recruiting top talent to the region. Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) received $5 million to recruit Dr. John Quackenbush from Harvard, while The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center secured $3 million to hire Dr. Irfan Asangani from the University of Pennsylvania.
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, UTHealth Houston, the University of Houston, MD Anderson and the Texas A&M University Health Science Center received a combined $32.2 million. An additional $17.7 million supported prevention initiatives led by individuals at MD Anderson, BCM, UTHealth and Light and Salt Association, a nonprofit clinic focused on community health and early detection.