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LAWRENCE, Kan., Sept. 28, 2026 — Endpoints News has announced the 2026 Endpoints 11, the annual list that spotlights the most compelling young companies in biotech. The honorees were chosen from more than 150 nominations made by industry leaders, marquee investors and at least one Nobel laureate, with additional candidates added by Endpoints’ newsroom.
The list includes startups working in gene therapy, CAR-T, oncology and cardiology, plus companies trying to reshape early drug development with artificial intelligence, robotics and lab-grown human tissue. Reporters spent months researching the science, the business models and the investors behind each candidate before the final names were locked in.
“The Endpoints 11 honors the most exciting young startups in biotech,” said Drew Armstrong, executive editor of Endpoints News. “The 11 companies on our list tell a story about where biotech is going, how innovation is evolving, and what it means to push forward the business of science.”
One notable pattern in this year’s cohort is the number of platform companies. Anew Labs and Medra are applying AI and automation to the mechanics of research itself. Vivodyne is scaling lab-grown tissue to test drugs before human trials. SonoThera is building a nonviral delivery system for genetic medicines. These are bets on the infrastructure of drug discovery, not just single pipelines.
China also plays a bigger role than usual. Three of the 11 honorees — Anew Labs, K2 Therapeutics and Kali Therapeutics — have origins or operating models tied to China. That could signal a shift in how investors value speed, capital efficiency and cross-border execution in a funding environment that remains selective.
Past Endpoints 11 companies have gone on to major M&A transactions, IPOs and commercial drug launches, making the award one of the more closely watched indicators in early-stage biotech. This year’s group appears designed to keep that streak going across a wider mix of science and technology.
Anew Labs — A China-based challenger to the AI laboratories that have become major players in drug discovery. Anew is betting that biological data, rather than general-purpose language models, will define the next generation of AI-driven pharma.
Azalea Therapeutics — A startup combining gene editing with CAR-T therapy. The company is working to engineer immune cells that are more precise and potentially more durable than current cell therapy approaches.
Corsera Health — Featuring two of biotech’s best-known figures, John Maraganore and Eric Meanwell, Corsera is built around what Endpoints described as their biggest bet in cardiology. The focus is cardiovascular disease, an area that has drawn renewed interest after years of inconsistent investment.
K2 Therapeutics — A company trying to combine China’s clinical speed with global regulatory and commercial expertise. The model is to identify opportunities that can advance quickly in earlier-stage settings and then be built out for international markets.
Kali Therapeutics — Kali has shifted from a China-centered strategy to developing an in-house pipeline. The company’s current story is about what happens when a cross-border biotech turns its focus to proprietary programs.
Medici Therapeutics — A science-heavy startup betting that the future of cancer therapy is personalized. The company has assembled a research team that Endpoints characterized as a “science super-team,” aiming to push oncology beyond broad or one-size-fits-all treatments.
Medra — Building self-driving laboratories to change how scientists work. The startup is focused on automating routine experimental tasks, which could help researchers generate, capture and compare data more quickly and consistently.
NewLimit — Looking beyond Yamanaka factors to find a new class of anti-aging medicines. NewLimit’s work centers on cellular reprogramming and the underlying biology of age-related decline.
SonoThera — A bold nonviral gene therapy play. SonoThera’s platform is designed to deliver genetic medicines without the manufacturing and immune-system constraints that come with traditional viral vectors.
Stipple Bio — Developing tools for precision oncology. Stipple Bio aims to make cancer treatment more exact, helping clinicians match the right therapy to the biology of a patient’s tumor.
Vivodyne — Building a human tissue factory that could change how drugs are tested. The company grows engineered human tissues at scale, creating a testing model that may be more informative than conventional lab assays and animal models.
A full index of the winners, including additional background and founder details, is available at endpoints.news.
The 2026 honorees were recognized Sunday evening at Endpoints’ gala event in Boston. A replay of the ceremony, along with exclusive interviews and additional context from the judges, will be published later today on the Endpoints News website.
Endpoints News is the biopharma industry’s trusted news authority. As part of the Financial Times’ FT Specialist group, Endpoints publishes daily newsletters, delivers original reporting on its website, hosts industry events and builds products that connect sophisticated business audiences. More information is available at endpoints.news.
