Dr. Laura Indolfi, CEO and Co-Founder of PanTher Therapeutics, was part of the inaugural cohort of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center’s (MLSC) Massachusetts Next Generation (MassNextGen) Initiative, where she received a year of tailored coaching and mentorship from seasoned life sciences executives and industry experts. The program provided strategic guidance during a critical stage for the company, helping position PanTher for long-term growth and clinical advancement.
PanTher is developing localized cancer therapeutics designed to deliver high-dose chemotherapy directly to the tumor site while minimizing systemic toxicity. Its proprietary Sagittari™ platform uses a biodegradable polymer film to enable continuous, controlled drug release at the tumor site. By bypassing poor vascularization, a common barrier in solid tumors, the approach allows for higher tumor drug concentrations while reducing off-target effects.
The company’s lead candidate, PTM-101, is being developed for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. PTM-101 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1b dose escalation and expansion clinical trial in patients with borderline resectable and locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), one of the most common and aggressive types of pancreatic cancer. The trial is enrolling at multiple cancer centers across the United States and is assessing safety, tolerability, and preliminary anti-tumor activity when used in combination with standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
In 2025, PanTher completed treatment of the first group of patients ahead of schedule, with no serious safety concerns reported at the initial dose. The study is now enrolling patients to study PTM-101’s effect at a higher dosage. Early results show that the therapy has been well tolerated and has demonstrated encouraging signs of tumor response, supporting the promise of PTM-101’s localized treatment approach.
While PanTher has since expanded its operations to Texas, the company continues to maintain a research and development presence in Massachusetts, with its laboratory based in Watertown. PanTher continues to engage with the Commonwealth’s biotech ecosystem and draws on its deep life sciences talent base, reflecting the lasting relationships built through entrepreneur-focused programs like MassNextGen and the broader strength of the Massachusetts life science ecosystem.
Since inception, the MassNextGen Initiative has supported 39 companies across its portfolio. Non-dilutive funding from the MLSC combined with executive coaching and business mentorship continues to prove invaluable for MassNextGen entrepreneurs in building their teams and progressing their innovative treatments and technologies forward. The program continues to drive expansion and growth for these early-stage companies, including 19 awardees who have raised a Seed or Series A financing round. Collectively, MassNextGen companies have raised over $401 million in follow-on funding.
Applications for the latest round of the MassNextGen Initiative are open until June 12, 2026. Click here to learn more and register for an upcoming info session.
