# Clasp Therapeutics

> Clasp Therapeutics is a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company building off-the-shelf, antibody-like T cell engagers that target cancer driver mutations presented on tumor cells via HLA. Spun out of Johns Hopkins and co-founded by cancer-genetics pioneer Bert Vogelstein and immunotherapy leader Drew Pardoll, Clasp uses its proprietary pHLAre platform to redirect a patient's own T cells to kill tumors with what the company calls absolute specificity - hitting mutant peptides found only on cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. The company launched publicly in March 2024 with a $150 million Series A and dosed its first patient in April 2025.

- **Founded:** 2020
- **Headquarters:** Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- **Founders:** Bert Vogelstein (Co-Founder / Scientific Founder (cancer genetics)), Drew Pardoll (Co-Founder / Scientific Founder (immuno-oncology)), Kenneth Kinzler (Co-Founder), Shibin Zhou (Co-Founder), Kellie Smith (Co-Founder), Nick Papadopoulos (Co-Founder), Robert Ross (Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer)
- **Team size:** ~41 employees
- **Products:** pHLAre platform, CLSP-1025, CLSP-5282
- **Notable:** Launched publicly in March 2024 with a $150 million Series A financing., Co-founded by cancer-genetics pioneer Bert Vogelstein and immuno-oncology leader Drew Pardoll., Dosed its first patient in a Phase 1 clinical trial in April 2025.

## Products & services

- **pHLAre platform** — Proprietary 'precision HLA redirecting engagers' technology that builds modular, antibody-like T cell engagers directed at mutant peptide fragments presented on tumor cells by HLA molecules, enabling tumor killing with minimal toxicity to healthy tissue.
- **CLSP-1025** — First-in-class T cell engager targeting the p53 R175H mutation presented on HLA; the company's lead clinical program.
- **CLSP-5282** — First-in-class KRas T cell engager targeting the KRasG12V driver mutation, including tumors that have progressed on KRas small-molecule inhibitors.

## Achievements

- Launched publicly in March 2024 with a $150 million Series A financing.
- Co-founded by cancer-genetics pioneer Bert Vogelstein and immuno-oncology leader Drew Pardoll.
- Dosed its first patient in a Phase 1 clinical trial in April 2025.
- Built the proprietary pHLAre platform aimed at 'absolute specificity' in T cell engagers.
- Raised approximately $222 million in total funding.

## Latest updates

- **2024-03** — Clasp Therapeutics launches from stealth with a $150 million Series A to pioneer precision immuno-oncology.
- **2025-04** — Clasp doses first patient in a Phase 1 trial of a first-in-class T cell engager designed for absolute specificity.

## Links

- Website: https://www.clasptx.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clasp-therapeutics

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/clasp-therapeutics
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-15