Ajax Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2019, headquartered in New York, NY, with operations in Cambridge, MA. The company specializes in developing next-generation therapies for hematologic malignancies, particularly myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) such as myelofibrosis and polycythemia vera.
Ajax employs advanced computational chemistry, structure-based drug design, and structural biology—leveraging a collaboration with Schrödinger, Inc.—to create selective inhibitors targeting key cytokine signaling pathways like JAK2. Its lead candidate, AJ1-11095, is a first-in-class, once-daily oral Type II JAK2 inhibitor designed to bind a unique inactive conformation of JAK2, potentially offering deeper and more durable responses than approved Type I inhibitors, especially in patients with prior resistance.
AJ1-11095 is currently in a Phase 1 clinical trial (AJX-101) for relapsed/refractory myelofibrosis patients previously treated with Type I JAK2 inhibitors, with first proof-of-concept data expected in 2026. In April 2026, Eli Lilly and Company announced a definitive agreement to acquire Ajax for up to $2.3 billion, aiming to accelerate the program's advancement using Lilly's blood cancer expertise.
