CADL

Candel Therapeutics, Inc.

BS score 52.4MEDIUMPHASE3 · mkt cap $351.6M · rev ttm $0

drug hypothesis

AdV-tk (adenoviral thymidine kinase) + valacyclovir prodrug modulates HSV-TK / DNA synthesis pathway (gene therapy approach using viral TK to convert prodrug to cytotoxic metabolite) to treat Pediatric brain tumors (malignant glioma, recurrent ependymoma).

moa:Adenoviral delivery of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene into tumor cells, followed by administration of valacyclovir prodrug; TK enzyme phosphorylates valacyclovir into toxic metabolites that kill dividing cells, combined with radiation therapy for enhanced antitumor effect

score breakdown

trial design75

base rate disconnect6

language red flags100

composite52.4

valuation analysis

market cap$351.6M

revenue ttm$0

phasePHASE3

historical base rate35%

disconnect ratio0.2x

lead trialNCT02768363

meta

cik0001841387

first discovered2026-04-09

last updated2026-04-10

statusACTIVE

llm model—

extracted at2026-04-10

trial design

Phase 1, non-randomized, single-arm study enrolling 8 pediatric patients with malignant glioma or recurrent ependymoma; patients received AdV-tk gene therapy intratumorally in combination with radiation therapy followed by valacyclovir prodrug

primary endpoint:Incidence of treatment emergent adverse events (at 2 months)

claimed differentiation

Not stated in provided filing data

language red flags

Very limited enrollment (n=8) raises questions about statistical power and generalizability
No business section text provided in filing - cannot assess company claims or risk disclosures
No preclinical evidence summary included in filing excerpt
No differentiation claims visible in available data - may indicate early-stage program with limited competitive positioning
Phase 1 safety study with limited efficacy endpoints