At BiopharmIQ, we’ve mapped over 280 biotech and pharma companies in Texas, tracking the rapid evolution of one of the most dynamic innovation hubs in the U.S. What once was a regional life sciences cluster is now a full-fledged ecosystem, where emerging bio/pharmas, mid-sized innovators, and major pharmaceutical players converge.

This year’s landscape highlights clinical-stage activity, late preclinical acceleration, and significant capital infusions across therapeutic areas such as autoimmune disease, oncology, neurotech, diagnostics, and gene therapy. 

Here are 10 Texas-based bio/pharma companies to watch, chosen for their clear proof points, including new clinical trials, major financings, regulatory designations, or disruptive technology platforms.

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Forte Biosciences (Dallas, TX, US)

Status: Public Recognition point: Autoimmune pipeline with new positive readout

Forte Biosciences is advancing FB102, an anti-CD122 monoclonal antibody targeting multiple autoimmune indications. In 2025, the company reported positive Phase 1b data in celiac disease and bolstered its capital through a $75M public offering. With that funding secured, Forte is set to advance Phase 2 trials in celiac disease while also expanding into vitiligo and alopecia areata. The combination of robust clinical data and financial backing makes Forte one of Texas’s most compelling autoimmune players.

Coya Therapeutics (Houston, TX, US)

Status: Public

Recognition point: Phase 2 ALS trial launch

Coya Therapeutics initiated ALSTARS, a randomized Phase 2 trial of COYA-302 in ALS, underscoring its commitment to regulatory T cell therapies for neurodegenerative disease. This move expands its strategy beyond Alzheimer’s and positions the company to generate pivotal data in a high-need indication. With multiple programs maturing, Coya represents one of Houston’s most promising clinical-stage stories.

Pattern Bioscience (Austin, TX, US)

Status: Private

Recognition point: Big BARDA backing + 2025 raise for rapid ID/AST

Pattern Bioscience is reimagining infectious disease diagnostics through its single-cell microbiology platform, which can deliver pathogen ID and AST in hours. In 2025, the company secured a major BARDA contract and raised $44.2M in equity (August 2025) to accelerate late-stage development and regulatory preparation. With this combination of strong government support and private investment, Pattern is emerging as a leader in precision antimicrobial testing — a rapidly growing strategic area in infectious disease control.

BioAffinity Technologies (San Antonio, TX, US)

Status: Public

Recognition point: Lung cancer diagnostic traction supported by multiple financings

BioAffinity Technologies is advancing its CyPath® Lung test for early detection of lung cancer, using sputum-based diagnostics to identify disease at its earliest stages. In 2025, the company initiated a new clinical trial (September) and raised more than $6M across multiple funding events, including a $3.25M public offering in May, a $1.2M private placement in August, and a $1.8M registered direct financing in October. This steady influx of capital reflects growing confidence in its diagnostic platform and positions bioAffinity to play a leading role in the next generation of respiratory oncology screening.

Shattuck Labs (Austin, TX, US)

Status: Public

Recognition point: New IBD program entering the clinic with strong financing momentum

Following a strategic portfolio reset, Shattuck Labs is advancing SL-325, a DR3-targeting therapy for inflammatory bowel disease, into its first-in-human Phase 1 trial. This signals a sharper focus on immunology after earlier oncology setbacks, with a leaner and more clinically driven trajectory. In August 2025, the company further strengthened its position by announcing an oversubscribed $103 M private placement, giving it the resources to support both clinical advancement and pipeline expansion.

iBio (Bryan, TX, US)

Status: Public

Recognition point: Fresh capital for AI-driven antibody discovery

iBio is transitioning from a manufacturing platform to a clinical-stage biotech, leveraging its AI-enabled antibody discovery platform to accelerate the design of precision therapeutics. In April 2025, the company raised $6.2M through a warrant inducement transaction, followed by a $50M public offering in August 2025. This stepped funding strategy provides iBio with a solid financial foundation to execute its strategic shift toward advanced antibody engineering and machine learning–driven drug development.

Phantom Neuro (Austin, TX, US)

Status: Private

Recognition point: Neuro-prosthetics with Series A momentum and early clinical activity

Phantom Neuro is developing Phantom X, a subdermal EMG interface designed to enable intuitive control of prosthetic hands. In April 2025, the company raised $19M in a Series A round to accelerate platform development. By July 2025, Phantom initiated preparations for a first-in-human clinical trial (NCT07071584) in below-elbow amputees, marking its transition from preclinical innovation to clinical-stage execution. With Department of Defense support and a pioneering approach to AI-driven prosthetic control, Phantom stands out as a key neurotech player emerging from Texas.

Colossal Biosciences (Dallas, TX, US)

Status: Private

Recognition point: Texas “decacorn” powering synthetic-biology toolkits

In January 2025, Colossal Biosciences raised $200M in a Series C funding round, solidifying its position as one of Texas’s highest-valued biotech companies and achieving “decacorn” status. While the company is widely known for its de-extinction initiatives, its core disruptive strength lies in its scalable CRISPR and synthetic biology platforms, which enable groundbreaking applications across biodiversity, conservation genetics, and future biotechnologies. Colossal’s scale, funding, and scientific ambition make it a flagship example of the state’s emerging biotech power.

Nanoscope Therapeutics (Dallas, TX, US)

Status: Private

Recognition point: Gene-agnostic optogenetic vision restoration entering a registrational path

Nanoscope Therapeutics is advancing MCO-010, a mutation-agnostic optogenetic gene therapy designed to restore vision in patients with inherited retinal diseases. In March 2025, the company reported positive clinical data demonstrating functional vision restoration in patients with retinitis pigmentosa. By August 2025, additional Phase 2 results from the STARLIGHT trial in Stargardt disease reinforced its clinical promise. MCO-010 has also received Fast Track, Orphan Drug, and RMAT designations from the FDA, and the company has initiated a rolling BLA submission—a clear signal of late-stage regulatory momentum. With a strong clinical foundation in a high-need area, Nanoscope represents one of the most advanced private biotech players in Texas.

Diakonos Oncology (Houston, TX, US)

Status: Private

Recognition point: Dendritic cell vaccine platform advancing through Phase 2 with strong financing support

Diakonos Oncology is developing DOC1021 (dubodencel), a double-loaded dendritic cell vaccine designed to train the immune system to attack tumors as if they were virally infected. In 2025, the company raised $20M in a private placement to accelerate its Phase 2 glioblastoma program and broaden its platform to new indications. DOC1021 has received FDA Fast Track and Orphan Drug designations for GBM and pancreatic cancer, highlighting both regulatory traction and therapeutic potential. With a clear clinical path and strong funding momentum, Diakonos stands out as a credible oncology innovator in Texas.

Closing Thoughts

Our mapping of 280+ biotech and pharma companies in Texas shows a clear concentration of clinical-stage activity, targeted funding events, and a growing number of early regulatory designations, particularly across oncology, autoimmune diseases, gene therapy, diagnostics, and neurotech. Among them, a subset of companies stands out not for headline buzz, but for tangible proof points: trial initiations, capital infusions, and pipeline progression.

For sales, marketing, and business development teams, this data matters. It helps focus attention on who is actually moving forward, not just making noise. Identifying companies with real traction enables more strategic outreach, better timing, and higher-quality engagements.

Beyond these 10 spotlighted companies, BiopharmIQ provides a curated list of 280+ active Texas-based bio/pharma companies, along with tools to track funding, clinical trial activity, partnerships, and regulatory signals. This structured view can help teams prioritize the right targets, stay ahead of inflection points, and build more informed commercial strategies.

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Article History:

10/14/25 MD, DG

Not legal, investing, or tax advice.