OX2 Therapeutics has teamed with Music Beats Cancer because we have achieved something rare in pediatric neuro‑oncology and we now face the urgent problem of being unable to treat every child who comes to us.
In mid‑November 2024, a young boy was diagnosed with Diffuse Midline Glioma and “was given six months to live.” With no proven options available, his family sought out our experimental therapy, ARL200. He received several infusions into the cervical region — a frightening but safe procedure for a child — and was supported with nitric oxide for comfort.
Today, “20 months after the diagnosis… the boy is doing great and the disease has NOT progressed.” He has surpassed his expected mortality by a full year. His case is not an outlier. Several or our other children treated with ARL200 have shown similarly encouraging results.
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DIPG and DMG are among the most devastating childhood brain cancers. Most children survive only 8 to 11 months after diagnosis. Surgery isn’t possible, and the only standard treatment – i.e. radiation – provides just temporary relief. Families are left with little hope.
But OX2 Therapeutics is changing that. We’ve developed a new kind of cancer drug, called ARL200, that works differently from anything else available. Most “checkpoint” drugs simply block signals that suppress the immune system. Ours actually reactivates the immune system and gives it clear directions to target and attack cancer cells—like flipping a light switch back on and handing the immune system a map.
Another breakthrough: our drug can reach the brain and central nervous system, where other checkpoint drugs typically can’t.
Early results are giving us hope. In adults with recurrent glioblastoma – a notoriously aggressive brain cancer – patients treated with ARL200 are living longer than expected. And now, we’re preparing to bring this promise to children with DIPG and DMG.
Our mission is urgent: to give kids a real fighting chance against cancers that have long been unbeatable. Time matters, we can’t wait.
OX2 Therapeutics is on track to complete its Phase I clinical trial in September 2026. The program has successfully reached the recommended Phase II dose with no adverse events reported to date. Based on our current development timeline, we anticipate initiating the Phase II pivotal study in Q2–Q3 2027.
If fully funded, this campaign will provide $125,000 to complete the Phase I clinical trial, with an additional $75,000 supporting correlative studies and essential overhead expenses needed to advance the program.
Every year in the U.S., 200 to 400 children between 18 months and 15 years old are diagnosed with DIPG/DMG — devastating, aggressive brain cancers with no cure. Globally, nearly 1,000 young lives are lost to these diseases each year. The time from diagnosis to death is heartbreakingly short, leaving families powerless as they watch their brave children fight for every moment. This cruel reality demands urgent action — these families deserve hope, and their children deserve a chance to survive.
CD200 Immune-Checkpoint Peptide Elicits an Anti-glioma Response Through the DAP10 Signaling Pathway
CD200 Checkpoint Reversal: A Novel Approach to Immunotherapy
Cancel cancer: The immunotherapeutic potential of CD200/CD200R blockade
CEO & Chief Financial Officer
Jeff is a seasoned CEO with a proven track record at profitably growing emerging companies and business divisions. He has raised over $15M in seed capital from angel investors to start four different companies which he then led to becoming profitable or acquired. Jeff got his start in Cell therapy as the Chief Operating Officer of Progenitor Cell Therapy (PCT) where he supported over 25 clinical trials in the Cell and Gene Therapy field. These trials ranged from Phase I to Phase III pivotal trials.
Chief Medical Officer & Founder
Dr. Moertel is an Professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology and holder of the Dahlberg Professorship of Pediatric Brain Tumor Research in the University of Minnesota Medical School. Dr. Moertel has over 25 years of experience as a neuro-oncologist, directing numerous clinical trials, has served on numerous national and local professional committees and is the author of a number of book chapters, articles and abstracts. Special interests include rare pediatric tumors, neurofibromatosis-associated neoplasia, and the therapy of children with brain and spinal cord tumors.
Scientific Advisor
Dr. Olin is an Associate Professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at the University of Minnesota. After completing his PhD in Infectious Diseases, he did two postdoctoral fellowships, studying the effects of opioids on tuberculosis meningitis and brain tumor immunotherapy and has more than 12 year’s experience in translational research with two other therapies that are in clinical trials.
Vice President of Operations & Co-Founder
Sumant is a biotechnology entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience in product development and biomanufacturing. He founded and led Cell Technology Inc. from 1998 until its acquisition by Janel Life Science Group in 2022, where he oversaw product design, manufacturing, and quality systems. At OX2 Therapeutics, he applies this expertise to guide drug production under FDA guidelines, supporting the company’s mission to advance breakthrough therapies for childhood brain cancer.
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