NeOnc Technologies

NeOnc Technologies Holdings, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing therapeutics for the central nervous system (CNS). The company was founded in 2008 by Dr. Thomas C. Chen, a board-certified neurosurgeon and the Director of Surgical Neuro-Oncology at the University of Southern California (USC). Dr. Chen's extensive experience in neurosurgery and glioma biology research, including a Ph.D. in pathobiology focused on immunotherapy for malignant brain tumors, directly informs the company's mission. He was motivated to start NeOnc to develop better techniques and enhance both the survival and quality of life for brain cancer patients.

The core of NeOnc's business is its proprietary NEO™ drug development platform, which is designed to overcome the significant challenge of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This platform centers on an intranasal delivery system that utilizes the body's cranial nerves to transport therapeutics directly to the brain, bypassing the BBB and potentially reducing systemic side effects. The company's intellectual property, which includes over 135 patents, is licensed worldwide from USC. NeOnc's business model involves developing its own novel drug candidates and also creating delivery methods that could potentially increase the effectiveness of existing drugs for CNS disorders. The company targets the global CNS treatment market, which is projected to see significant growth.

NeOnc's product pipeline includes two primary candidates in clinical trials. NEO100 is a purified form of perillyl alcohol (POH), a natural compound that has been shown to interfere with the replication of cancer cells. It is being evaluated in Phase 2 clinical trials for treating high-grade gliomas and meningiomas. The second key product, NEO212, is a novel molecule that combines the standard-of-care chemotherapy drug temozolomide (TMZ) with perillyl alcohol. This formulation is intended to increase the efficacy of TMZ and is also in clinical trials for patients with primary and secondary brain tumors. Both NEO100 and NEO212 have received Fast-Track and Investigational New Drug (IND) status from the FDA. To accelerate its clinical trials, NeOnc has expanded its network to include research sites in India through a partnership with CBCC Global Research.

The company has achieved several financial milestones, including raising a total of $18.7M over multiple funding rounds from investors like the National Institutes of Health (NIH). A significant financing event in June 2024 raised $18.5 million through new investment and debt conversion, setting the company's post-money valuation at approximately $220 million. More recently, in August 2025, NeOnc secured a $50 million strategic partnership with Quazar Investment to accelerate development and expand its presence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The company began trading on the Nasdaq in March 2025.

Keywords: neuro-oncology, drug delivery, blood-brain barrier, intranasal delivery, glioblastoma, brain cancer treatment, central nervous system therapeutics, clinical-stage biotechnology, perillyl alcohol, temozolomide, NEO100, NEO212, Thomas Chen, USC, FDA Fast Track, meningioma, neurosurgery, CNS disorders, cancer research, targeted therapy