The investigational new drug resulted from research on next-generation taxanes in Dr. Iwao Ojima’s medicinal chemistry laboratory
STONY BROOK, NY, November 5, 2026 – A promising new cancer chemotherapeutic agent from a taxane class of natural compounds – anti-cancer agents designed to block cell division and trigger the programmed cell death to treat sold tumors – originally developed by researchers at Stony Brook University has entered human clinical trials.
The drug is a polyunsaturated fatty acid conjugate of a second-generation Stony Brook-developed taxane in a nanoemulsion formulation (originally coded as NE-DHA-SBT-1214). Recurv Pharma Inc. has launched a human clinical trial with NE-DHA-SBT-1214, now called RP-001, for patients with advanced colorectal cancer.
In 2016, the polyunsaturated fatty acid conjugated to DHA-SBT-1214 was licensed by the SUNY Research Foundation to a Stony Brook University spinout company, TargaGenix, Inc., which further developed the chemotherapeutic agent and focused on efficacious drug formulations. The nanoemulsion formulation of the agent was selected for clinical development. Since then, TargaGenix has sub-licensed this drug candidate to Recurv Pharma, which received a $24M investment from TVM Capital Life Sciences.
Colorectal cancer remains a leading cause of cancer incidence and death in the United States. Treatment progress continues, and according to the National Cancer Institute nearly two-thirds of colorectal cancer patients reach the five-year survival mark. However, significant multidrug resistance and adverse side effects from treatments, including from mainstream taxanes such as paclitaxel and docetaxel, continue to be problematic for patients and reduce treatment effectiveness.
The new taxane, part of the second-generation of taxane agents, offers the possibility of improved treatment results in patients with colorectal cancer. Earlier this year, Recurv Pharma received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of their Investigational New Drug Application (IND) to begin an open-label multicenter phase 1/2a clinical trial to investigate the safety, tolerability and anti-tumor activity of RP-001 in adult patients with advanced and metastatic disease.
The current clinical trial is based in Texas and the United Kingdom. The company also plans to conduct additional clinical trials in the future in the UK.
Credit: John Griffin, Stony Brook University
A path of discovery that began at Stony Brook
The research path that led to the development of NE-NHA-SBT-1214 started with Iwao Ojima, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Director of the Institute of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery (ICB & DD) at Stony Brook University. Dr. Ojima has worked for many years to discover and develop next-generation anti-cancer agents. He and his team succeeded in developing a next generation of taxane anti-cancer agents, one of which is now the investigational drug being used in the Recurv Pharma clinical trial.
More specifically, Dr. Ojima developed a highly potent second-generation Stony Brook taxane that overcame multidrug-resistance and proved to be a highly efficacious conjugate to DHA (an omega-3 fish oil supplement). This was DHA-SBT-1214. Then the nanoemulsion – a form of nanotechnology – was developed by TargaGenix along with Dr. Mansoor Amiji of Northeastern University. The resulting nanoemulsion formulation of DHA-SBT-1214 exhibited significant efficacy against multidrug-resistant solid tumor xenografts (human tumor implants in animals) and cancer stem cell (CSC)-initiated tumor xenografts in mouse models.
“This nanoemulsion formulation of the extremely potent DHA-SBT-1214 enabled tumor-selective drug delivery by means of an Enhanced Permeability and Retention (EPR) effect characteristic to nanosize particles,” explains Dr. Ojima, describing the culmination of the research from his laboratory.
He and his team at the ICB & DD continue to investigate and develop third- and fourth-generation Stony Brook taxanes, as well as other classes of anti-cancer agents.
“Dr. Ojima has created a completely novel form of therapy for cancer that is poised to advance our ability to fight cancer in patients who need it the most,” says Raymond Bergan, MD, the Kavita and Lalit Bahl Endowed Cancer Center Director at Stony Brook Cancer Center. “His group is at the forefront of changing how we treat cancer and is providing new hope for those with cancer.”
According to James E. Egan, CEO of Recurv Pharma, the company is conducting a Phase 1 safety and dose escalation study to be followed by a Phase 2 study in pancreatic and colorectal cancer. Based on positive results in the Phase 2 study, Recurv Pharma will seek a partner to conduct an approval study. The company also plans to develop a combination therapy using RP-001 with immune-oncology to create a new treatment for pancreatic cancer.
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