Oncternal Therapeutics Stock Price, News & Analysis

Oncternal Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCT) is described as a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel oncology therapies for the treatment of patients with cancers that have critical unmet medical need. The company pursues drug development targeting biological pathways implicated in cancer generation or progression, with a focus on hematological malignancies and prostate cancer, according to multiple company press releases.

In its pipeline, Oncternal has advanced several investigational product candidates. ONCT-534 is described as a dual-action androgen receptor inhibitor (DAARI) with demonstrated preclinical activity in prostate cancer models against both unmutated androgen receptor (AR) and multiple forms of AR mutation or aberration. It has been investigated in Study ONCT-534-101 (NCT05917470), a Phase 1/2 trial in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who are resistant or refractory to approved androgen receptor pathway inhibitors. Press releases note that ONCT-534 has been evaluated across multiple oral dose cohorts, including higher-dose cohorts, with assessments of safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and preliminary anti-tumor activity based on measures such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels.

ONCT-808 is described as an investigational autologous chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR T) cell therapy that targets Receptor Tyrosine Kinase-Like Orphan Receptor 1 (ROR1) using the binding domain from zilovertamab. Company disclosures state that ONCT-808 has demonstrated activity in preclinical models against multiple hematological malignancies and solid tumors and has been shown to be specific for cancer cells expressing ROR1. It has been evaluated in Study ONCT-808-101 (NCT05588440), a Phase 1/2 study in patients with relapsed or refractory aggressive B-cell lymphoma, including patients who have failed prior CD19 CAR T treatment.

Zilovertamab (previously called cirmtuzumab and UC-961) is described as an investigational monoclonal antibody designed to inhibit the function of ROR1. It has been evaluated in Phase 1/2 Study CIRM-0001 (NCT03088878) in combination with ibrutinib for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and marginal zone lymphoma (MZL). Company press releases report that this study resulted in 100% progression free survival at multi-year follow-up in a subset of CLL patients whose tumors harbored p53 mutation or del(17p), a population characterized in the releases as underserved by current treatment options. Zilovertamab has also been studied in investigator-initiated trials in HER2-negative metastatic or locally advanced unresectable breast cancer, metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, and relapsed/refractory CLL in combination with other agents.

ONCT-216 (previously called TK216) is described in company communications as an investigational targeted small-molecule inhibitor of the E26 transformation-specific (ETS) family of oncoproteins, including fusion proteins. Tumorigenic fusion proteins involving the EWS protein and an ETS protein are noted as being found in most cases of Ewing sarcoma, and ETS-related translocations or overexpression are described as being present in several other tumor types such as acute myeloid leukemia, diffuse large B cell lymphoma, and prostate cancer. In preclinical models, ONCT-216 has been observed to bind to EWS-FLI1, blocking interactions with other transcriptome proteins and leading to tumor cell apoptosis and inhibition of tumor growth in animal models. Company press releases state that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation, Orphan Drug Designation and Fast Track Status to ONCT-216 for the treatment of Ewing sarcoma, and that results of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in Ewing sarcoma have been published.

Several press releases describe Oncternal as focusing on cancers with critical unmet medical need, particularly in hematological malignancies and prostate cancer. The company’s programs have been investigated in early-stage clinical trials designed to evaluate safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and preliminary anti-tumor activity, often in patients who have relapsed after, or are refractory to, existing standard therapies such as approved androgen receptor pathway inhibitors or prior CAR T treatments.

In a press release dated September 12, 2024, Oncternal announced a decision to discontinue its clinical trials evaluating ONCT-534 and ONCT-808 and to explore strategic alternatives, including potential asset sales, licensing or other strategic transactions relating to its development programs, or a merger, reverse merger, acquisition, or other business combination. The same release states that the company would discontinue all product development activities and take steps to reduce costs, including a workforce reduction.

In a subsequent press release dated July 1, 2025, Oncternal announced the sale of its zilovertamab and ONCT-808 programs to Ho’ola Therapeutics, Inc. The announcement describes zilovertamab as an investigational monoclonal antibody targeting ROR1 and ONCT-808 as an investigational autologous CAR T cell therapy targeting ROR1 using the binding domain from zilovertamab. The release further states that, following this asset sale, a new president and chief executive officer was appointed to oversee the winddown of Oncternal’s operations, including any future distribution of remaining cash and future rights to milestone-based payments. The same communication explicitly refers to the wind-down of the company’s operations.

Based on these disclosures, Oncternal Therapeutics is described in recent company communications both in terms of its historical role as a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical developer of oncology therapies and its later actions to discontinue clinical development, sell key programs, and wind down operations. Investors reviewing ONCT as a stock can use this context to understand that the symbol represents a company whose historical activities centered on investigational therapies such as ONCT-534, ONCT-808, zilovertamab and ONCT-216, and that more recent press releases describe strategic reviews, program terminations, asset sales and an operational wind-down.

Business focus and therapeutic areas

According to multiple press releases, Oncternal’s development efforts have focused on targeting biological pathways implicated in cancer generation or progression. The company’s disclosures emphasize hematological malignancies, such as mantle cell lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, marginal zone lymphoma and aggressive B-cell lymphoma, as well as prostate cancer, particularly metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Its investigational agents have been designed to interact with targets such as the androgen receptor pathway, ROR1, and ETS family oncoproteins.

Key investigational programs

• ONCT-534: Dual-action androgen receptor inhibitor (DAARI) investigated in mCRPC patients who are resistant or refractory to approved androgen receptor pathway inhibitors, in a Phase 1/2 open-label, multi-center study.
• ONCT-808: Autologous CAR T cell therapy targeting ROR1, evaluated in a Phase 1/2 study in relapsed or refractory aggressive B-cell lymphoma, including patients who have failed prior CD19 CAR T treatment.
• Zilovertamab: Monoclonal antibody designed to inhibit ROR1, evaluated in combination with ibrutinib in MCL, CLL and MZL, and in various investigator-initiated studies in breast and prostate cancer and relapsed/refractory CLL.
• ONCT-216: Targeted small-molecule inhibitor of ETS family oncoproteins, with regulatory designations from the FDA for Ewing sarcoma and Phase 1/2 clinical data reported in that indication.

Corporate status and strategic actions

The September 12, 2024 press release states that Oncternal decided to terminate its clinical studies of ONCT-534 and ONCT-808 and to discontinue all product development activities while exploring strategic alternatives. The July 1, 2025 press release reports the sale of the zilovertamab and ONCT-808 programs to Ho’ola Therapeutics, Inc., and notes that a new executive was appointed to oversee the wind-down of Oncternal’s operations and any future distribution of remaining cash and milestone-based payments. These statements indicate that, as described by the company, Oncternal has moved from active clinical development toward a wind-down process following asset sales and the termination of its clinical programs.

ONCT stock context

For investors researching ONCT stock, the company’s own press releases provide the primary description of its historical business as a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical developer focused on oncology, and its later decisions to discontinue clinical trials, sell development programs and wind down operations. There are no SEC filings included in the provided data set, so additional details on listing status, financial reporting or formal liquidation steps are not available here and would need to be confirmed from regulatory filings or other official sources.