Stopping Prostate Cancer Before It Spreads
A precision oncology platform pairing a validated unique companion diagnostic with next-generation inhibitors to prevent cancer metastasis, changing the story of cancer for good.
Our Mission
In 2025, an estimated 313,780 U.S. men will hear the words: “You have prostate cancer.” For most, careful monitoring, called active surveillance, is enough. But for a small, high-risk group, cancer doesn’t wait. It spreads silently, unpredictably, and often too late for doctors to intervene.
Metastasis is responsible for over 90% of cancer deaths. Today’s tools can’t reliably flag which patients will progress until it’s too late. Behind every one of those patients is a family forever changed.
MetasTx exists to change that story.
The Story Behind MetasTx
MetasTx is closing the gap between early detection and precise intervention with a two-part strategy:
PART 1
A practical unique diagnostic, partially funded by the National Cancer Institute, that is designed to identify men biologically primed for metastasis by detecting a pattern in tumor cells, a warning sign, that they are likely to spread (think analogy to BRCA in Breast Cancer).
PART 2
A targeted cKit inhibitor (KIT) therapy drug designed to shut down the molecular signals that drive both spread (epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, EMT) and drug resistance (stemness) in prostate cancer.
Right patient. Right treatment. Right time.
This integrated approach is designed to focus treatment only where it’s needed, reduce unnecessary side effects, and speed up the path to effective therapies. With strong scientific validation, support from the National Cancer Institute, and a leadership team seasoned in oncology innovation, MetasTx is charting a capital-efficient path to impact.
The Science – In Plain Language
In some cancers, including prostate cancer, the on-off balance is affected and constant signals are sent to the cancer cells for growth, movement, and survival. When that happens, it sets off two processes that make cancer harder to treat:
- EMT (epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition): Cells loosen and invade new tissues, enabling spread.
- Stemness: A small subset of tumor cells become resistant to therapy, surviving to seed new tumors.
Because KIT sits upstream of both processes, inhibiting KIT, or “turning it off”, can blunt spread and resistance at the same time.
Why this is de-risked: KIT inhibitors are already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat a cancer called GIST, which stands for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor. GIST is a rare tumor of the digestive tract, and the success of KIT inhibitors in this disease proves the target can be safely and effectively blocked in humans. However, efficacy in other cancers, including prostate cancer, has yet to be established.
MetasTx has already developed a series of next-generation KIT inhibitors. This puts us ahead of the typical early-stage curve, with compounds ready for safety testing, animal efficacy studies, and biomarker confirmation that we are hitting KIT in living systems.
At the same time, our NCI-funded EMT-signature diagnostic study with Allegheny Health Network is designed to pinpoint the ~10% of men on active surveillance who are truly high-risk. This means faster, smaller, more decisive trials — and real-world patient impact.
Join Us at the Inflection Point
MetasTx is at a critical moment:
- A funded diagnostic study underway with NCI support.
- Next-generation inhibitors licensed, designed and synthesized by the Crich UGARF labs and advancing toward IND-enabling studies.
- A leadership team with proven track records in oncology innovation.
Together, these pieces form a precision oncology platform designed to prevent metastasis before it starts — and create value for patients, families, and investors alike.
Harvey D. Homan, Ph.D., MBA
Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder
Biotech executive, entrepreneur, and investor with a career spanning research, commercialization, and growth. Harvey combines a Ph.D. in neuropharmacology (University of Georgia) with an MBA from NYU Stern to guide MetasTx with both scientific depth and business vision.
Dr. Somanath Shenoy, Ph.D., FAHA
Co-Founder & Translational Science Lead
Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy, Augusta Kenneth L. Waters Pharmacy Professor Assistant Department Head for Research and Graduate Education, Director of Graduate Studies and translational research leader. Recognized for award-winning work in angiogenesis, vascular biology, and tumor microenvironments, anchoring MetasTx’s diagnostic and therapeutic strategy.
Dr. David Crich
Head of Chemistry
Georgia Research Alliance & David Chu Eminent Scholar in Drug Design at the University of Georgia. A globally renowned chemist, Dr. Crich developed the next-generation KIT inhibitors that form the backbone of MetasTx’s therapeutic program.
Jackson (Jay) B. Gibbs, Ph.D.
Chief Science Officer
Veteran cancer researcher with senior leadership roles at Merck and AstraZeneca. With more than 120 peer-reviewed publications and multiple patents, Jay ensures MetasTx’s programs are grounded in rigor and real-world feasibility.
Dr. Jonathan Chernoff, M.D., Ph.D.
Board of Managers Cancer Center Director, Senior Vice President Stanley P. Reimann Chair in Oncology Research
A molecular and medical oncologist whose work has shaped the fields of cancer signaling, precision medicine, and translational oncology. His expertise in metastasis biology and translational research directly supports MetasTx’s mission to stop cancer from spreading by ensuring its diagnostic and therapeutic strategies are grounded in cutting-edge science and clinical relevance.
Brian Cain
Board Member & Strategic Growth Advisor
As a senior healthcare executive, Brian specializes in strategic planning, market research, and commercial analytics that drive product growth from start-ups to global brands. His expertise in aligning science, strategy, and stakeholder engagement strengthens MetasTx’s success.
Connect with MetasTx Leadership
MetasTx, LLC
100 S Jackson Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15202
MetasTx, LLC
100 S Jackson Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15202