C4 Therapeutics Restructures Pipeline, Focuses on Cemsidomide Development

C4 Therapeutics, a Massachusetts-based biotech company, has announced a significant restructuring of its pipeline, discontinuing its clinical-stage BRAF degrader program to concentrate resources on its lead candidate, cemsidomide. This strategic decision, revealed in the company's second-quarter earnings release on May 7, 2025, marks a pivotal shift in C4T's research and development focus.

Cemsidomide Takes Center Stage

The company's primary focus will now be on cemsidomide, an IKZF1/3 degrader currently undergoing phase 1 clinical trials for multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Early results from the study have shown promise, with half of the 10 myeloma patients receiving the highest daily dose of 100 μg achieving an overall response. C4T CEO Andrew Hirsch described this as a "compelling response rate" in the earnings release.

C4 Therapeutics is awaiting feedback from the FDA in the coming months to determine the next steps in cemsidomide's clinical development. This guidance will be crucial in shaping the drug's path forward and potentially accelerating its progress through the clinical pipeline.

Pipeline Restructuring and Financial Strategy

The decision to halt the BRAF degrader program comes despite the completion of a phase 1 trial for CFT1946, which targeted BRAF V600 mutant solid tumors. Although the company had previously presented findings supporting the drug's "proof of mechanism and therapeutic potential," C4T cited "emerging clinical data and the company's focus on strategic capital allocation" as reasons for discontinuing further development.

C4 Therapeutics is not abandoning the BRAF degrader work entirely, however. The company plans to seek partners to advance this research, potentially allowing for continued development without directly allocating its own resources.

This restructuring follows a previous difficult decision in 2024 when C4T laid off 30% of its staff after disappointing clinical data for its oral BRD9 degrader, CFT8634, in synovial sarcoma and SMARCB-1 null tumors.

Financially, C4T reported $234.7 million in cash reserves at the end of March, with an additional $4 million in preclinical milestone payments expected soon from its ongoing collaboration with Roche. The company projects that its current funds will last into 2027, providing a substantial runway for its refocused research efforts.