KaliVir Immunotherapeutics raises $14 million in Series A extension financing to advance VET3-TGI and the STEALTH-001 Phase 1/1b trial in advanced solid tumors.
Written By: Khushi Patel, PharmD
Reviewed By: Pharmacally Editorial Team
KaliVir Immunotherapeutics has raised $14 million in a Series A extension to fund continued clinical development of VET3-TGI, an investigational oncolytic immunotherapy being evaluated in patients with advanced solid tumors.
$14 Million Financing Supports Clinical Development
KaliVir Immunotherapeutics closed a $14 million extension of its Series A financing, bringing the total capital raised in the round to $25 million. Company K Partners led the financing, with participation from SV Investment, Flexus Partners and existing investors, including affiliates of Nextrans and Quad Investment Management.
The proceeds will support patient enrollment and continued execution of the STEALTH-001 Phase 1/1b trial, along with general corporate activities. The financing also adds three new board members: Woo Young Kim of Company K Partners, Kwang Ha Jung of SV Investment and JP Hong of Flexus Partners.
VET3-TGI Targets the Tumor Microenvironment
VET3-TGI is an investigational oncolytic virus developed using KaliVir’s proprietary VET platform. The candidate uses a modified vaccinia virus backbone and incorporates multiple genetic modifications intended to support tumor-selective replication and therapeutic activity within tumors.
The approach combines direct oncolytic activity with immune modulation. VET3-TGI expresses interleukin-12 (IL-12) and a transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) inhibitor, two components intended to stimulate local immune responses while remodeling the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment.
This strategy addresses a central challenge in solid tumors: malignant cells can create a local environment that suppresses immune activity and limits the effectiveness of anticancer therapies. By combining viral tumor targeting with immune modulation, VET3-TGI is being evaluated as a multi-mechanistic approach to this barrier.
STEALTH-001 Advances Through Dose Escalation
STEALTH-001 (NCT06444815) is a first-in-human, open-label Phase 1/1b dose-escalation and expansion study in patients with pathologically confirmed, advanced, unresectable or metastatic solid tumors.
The trial is evaluating VET3-TGI through both intratumoral injection and intravenous infusion. Investigators are studying the candidate as a monotherapy and in combination with atezolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor. The study remains in its dose-escalation phase and is progressing as planned, according to KaliVir.
At this stage, the program’s primary focus is clinical development and dose evaluation rather than establishing definitive efficacy. Further data from dose escalation and subsequent expansion cohorts will be important for determining the safety profile, tolerability and potential antitumor activity of VET3-TGI.
New Capital Extends Development Runway
KaliVir CEO Helena Chaye, PhD, JD, said the financing provides additional resources to execute STEALTH-001, reach upcoming clinical milestones and further evaluate VET3-TGI in advanced solid tumors.
The $25 million Series A financing gives the company additional capital to continue advancing its lead program as clinical evaluation proceeds. The next major milestones will center on patient enrollment, dose escalation and emerging clinical findings from STEALTH-001.
KaliVir’s broader platform uses engineered vaccinia viruses with multiple genetic modifications intended to enable systemic delivery and tumor-localized expression of therapeutic transgenes. The company is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Reference
KaliVir_pr-08-19-2026_Announces-Closing-of-14-Million-Series-A-Extension-Financing.pdf
About the Writer
Khushi Patel is a Pharm.D (Linkedin) professional with a strong foundation in clinical pharmacy, patient-centered care, regulatory affairs, and pharmacovigilance, with published work on Brugada syndrome.
Her interests include regulatory affairs, pharmacovigilance, guideline integration, multimodal therapy, pharmacogenomics, and antibiogram utilization, with a focus on evidence-based clinical decision-making and medication safety.
As a Pharmacally healthcare writer, she translates clinical and scientific evidence into clear, accurate, and clinically relevant healthcare content, while continuously developing her expertise in evolving pharmacy practice.