Our Story
MEKanistic Therapeutics was founded in 2015 by Dr. Judy Sebolt-Leopold and Dr. Christopher Whitehead, two pioneers in cancer drug development. Dr. Sebolt-Leopold led the team at Parke-Davis that developed the first oral MEK inhibitor to advance into clinical trials, proving that the Ras-MAPK pathway could be drugged to treat cancer.
Building on decades of expertise, MEKanistic is now developing MTX-531, a first-in-class dual inhibitor that represents the next generation of precision cancer medicine. Our innovative computational drug design approach enables us to create molecules that simultaneously target multiple resistance mechanisms while maintaining an improved safety profile.
Executive Leadership Team
Danny Cunagin
Chief Executive Officer
Experienced biotech executive with proven track record in advancing oncology programs from preclinical development through clinical trials. Provides strategic leadership driving MEKanistic's transition from discovery to clinical-stage company.
Dr. Hagop Youssoufian
Chief Medical Advisor
Board-certified oncologist and clinical development expert with extensive experience in oncology drug development. Advising MEKanistic's clinical strategy and regulatory pathway for MTX-531.
Dr. Judy Sebolt-Leopold
Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer
Cancer biologist and pioneer in MEK inhibitor development. Led groundbreaking research at Parke-Davis/Pfizer demonstrating the druggability of the Ras-MAPK pathway.
Dr. Christopher Whitehead
Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer
Computational chemist with extensive drug discovery experience. Innovator behind MTX-531's unique dual-targeting technology.
Scientific Advisory Board
Dr. Patricia LoRusso, DO, FACP
Professor of Medicine, Yale Cancer Center
President-Elect, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
Highly experienced oncologist and translational scientist with over 30 years in drug development and clinical research. Internationally recognized expert in early-phase oncology trials.
Strategic Partnerships
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Collaborating through the NExT Program for IND-enabling development support
University of Michigan
Academic research collaboration and innovation partnership
Invenshure
Launch partner and strategic advisor
Our Mission
To develop innovative precision medicines that overcome cancer resistance mechanisms and provide durable, well-tolerated treatment options for patients with limited therapeutic alternatives.
Our Vision
To transform cancer treatment by pioneering first-in-class therapies that target the fundamental drivers of therapeutic resistance, ultimately improving outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients worldwide.