Onquera
Therapeutics
Conquering Cancer Through Scientific Inquiry
About Us
At Onquera, we believe timing, environment, and collaboration are the keys to discovery - 天时、地利、人和 ("the right time, the right place, and harmony among people"). Founded by physician-scientists and drug developers, we combine world-class expertise in apoptosis biology with a commitment to addressing urgent unmet medical needs.
Our culture is rooted in:
Scientific Rigour - in structural biology, pharmacology, and translational medicine.
Patient Focus - Targeting diseases where current options fall short.
Collaboration & Harmony - Bridging science, medicine, and partnerships for impact.
Pipeline
Onquera is building a pipeline of first-in-class apoptosis-modulating therapeutics:
Onq_Mcl001
Target: MCL-1 inhibition
Rationale: MCL-1 is a critical survival factor in multiple cancers. Selective inhibition has shown promising anti-tumor activity.
Differentiation: Designed to overcome limitations of current approaches while minimizing cardiotoxicity concerns.
Onq_Bax001
Target: Direct BAX activation
Rationale: BAX is a pro-apoptotic protein central to programmed cell death. No direct BAX activator has yet reached the clinic.
Potential: First-in-class BAX activator with applications across solid tumors and hematologic cancers.
Combination opportunities: KRAS inhibitors, EGFR/TKI therapies, immunotherapies.
Science
Apoptosis - or programmed cell death - is one of the body’s most fundamental defence mechanisms against cancer. Many tumours evade apoptosis by hijacking proteins like MCL-1 or suppressing key effectors like BAX.
Onquera’s discovery platforms unlock these pathways to restore natural cell death programs, offering a new frontier in precision oncology.
First-in-Class Science – Developing novel drugs that directly modulate apoptotic proteins such as MCL-1 and BAX.
Collaborative Approach – Partnering with innovators, clinicians, and researchers to accelerate impact.
Unmet Need – Addressing cancers that remain resistant to current therapies.
Translational Focus – Moving from strong biological rationale to meaningful clinical outcomes.
Hongwei Cheng, MD, PhD
CEO
Dr. Cheng is a distinguished and visionary entrepreneur in biomedical research and drug development.
Xingming Deng, MD, PhD
CSO
Professor and inaugural Chair in Cancer Biology at Emory University School of Medicine.
Jun Zhang, MD, PhD
CMO
Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Onquera Therapeutics, Inc.
Our Mission
To transform cutting-edge apoptosis biology into life-changing medicines for patients, starting with oncology and expanding into other high-need therapeutic areas.
Hongwei Cheng, MD, PhD
Dr. Cheng directs Onquera Therapeutics’ scientific strategy, translating apoptosis biology into next-generation oncology therapeutics. Trained as a medical practitioner in China, he brings over a decade of clinical experience in plastic and orthopaedic surgery. He earned his PhD in surgery from Peking Union Medical College and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Molecular Biology at the University of Chicago with Dr. Tong-Chuan He.
With seven years of experience in animal modeling and translational research at the University of British Columbia, Dr. Cheng has authored more than 50 publications in plastic surgery, cancer biology, disease modeling, and drug discovery. His work has appeared in leading journals such as Nature, Cancer Cell, and Blood, and he was the first scientist to identify BMP9 as the most potent osteogenetic growth factor among the 14 BMP protein family members.
CloseXingming Deng, MD, PhD
As Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of Onquera Therapeutics, Dr. Deng leads the company’s scientific strategy and translational oncology programs, integrating apoptosis biology with next-generation therapeutic development.
Dr. Deng is also a Professor and the inaugural Chair in Cancer Biology in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Emory University School of Medicine. He serves as Director of the Discovery Theme for the Discovery and Developmental Therapeutics Research Program at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.
His research focuses on uncovering the mechanisms of cell death, DNA repair, genomic instability, tumor invasion and metastasis, and developing novel anti-cancer therapies targeting apoptosis and DNA repair pathways. He is also exploring PD-1/PD-L1 signaling for immunotherapy and studying environmental carcinogenesis, including the effects of tobacco smoke and space radiation.
A physician-scientist with extensive training in China (MD/PhD at Hunan and Beijing Medical Universities) and postdoctoral training in Molecular Biology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Dr. Deng has received 18 research grants, including NIH R01 awards, NASA grants, and Clinical Innovator Awards from the Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute.
CloseJun Zhang, MD, PhD
Dr. Zhang serves as Chief Medical Officer of Onquera Therapeutics, leading clinical strategy and translational research programs focused on oncology therapeutics.
A nationally recognized leader in lung cancer research and treatment, he has authored over 100 publications in top journals including Clinical Cancer Research, Journal of Thoracic Oncology, JAMA Oncology, and New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Zhang is an active member of several professional societies, including the American Association for Cancer Research, American Society of Clinical Oncology, European Society of Medical Oncology, and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer.
Dr. Zhang earned his MD from Hunan Medical University and his PhD in Cellular Biology and Anatomy from Louisiana State University Health Science Center. He completed postdoctoral fellowships at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Harvard University) and UCSF, as well as a clinical medical oncology fellowship at Emory University. He is currently appointed as Vice President of Oncology Research at OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute, while continuing to serve as Director of Medical Oncology Clinical Research and Co-Director of the Lung Cancer Program at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
CloseOur Scientific Platform
Why invest in Onquera?
For Investors
At Onquera, we are pioneering a new frontier in apoptosis-targeted therapeutics. Our approach combines first-in-class science with a clear path to clinical translation, addressing cancers that remain resistant to current therapies.
Why Invest in Onquera?
Innovative Science: Developing novel drugs that directly modulate apoptotic proteins such as MCL-1 and BAX.
Clear Differentiation: Our pipeline is designed to overcome limitations of current therapies while minimizing safety concerns.
Strategic Opportunity: Leveraging combination potential with KRAS inhibitors, EGFR/TKI therapies, and immunotherapies.
Experienced Leadership: Physician-scientist founders with proven expertise in drug development and translational medicine.
Collaborative Culture: Partnerships with academic, clinical, and industry leaders accelerate progress.
