Transformative surfaceome discovery technology enables a comprehensive map of the cancer cell surface to identify a multitude of novel druggable targets. DISCO Pharmaceuticals is a pioneer in this field, supported by 20 million euros in seed financing and leading investor syndicate.
The development of new treatment modalities in oncology is growing, but the lack of cancer-specific cell surface targets limits the application to a few clinically effective targets. DISCO Pharmaceuticals’ pioneering surfaceome mapping platform, transforms the current approach of target discovery for large molecules’ research and development. The company obtains 20 million euros in seed financing. Moreover it is supported by leading investor syndicate, including Sofinnova Partners, which led the round, Panakes Partners, M Ventures and AbbVie Ventures.
Identifiyng proteins across the cancer cell surface
The development of new biologics, such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and bi-specific antibodies, is on the rise. However, there are currently less than 30 molecular targets which form the basis of all antibody-based therapies. The DISCO Pharmaceuticals technology identifies proteins and protein communities across the entire cancer cell surface in a scalable manner, thus addressing the need for target candidates for both mono- and bi-specific antibodies. These insights enable the development of a multitude of cancer-specific therapies, with the potential to boost efficacy and reduce side effects for patients. DISCO has started to create an internal pipeline of novel anti-cancer therapeutics leveraging this knowledge.
The company completed the first-ever map of the surfaceome of a cancer type, Small Cell Lung Cancer, (SCLC) and is developing proprietary antibody-based treatments for SCLC, which has historically been difficult to treat. DISCO is currently working on Microsatellite-Stable Colorectal Cancer, which is associated with a high unmet medical need and for which only a few treatment options are available.
Bringing together academia, biotech and pharma
“Today, we are launching DISCO Pharmaceuticals and its breakthrough technology after a decade of research by our exceptional team. – Said Roman Thomas, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, at DISCO Pharmaceuticals – We believe that our surfaceome discovery technology is truly disruptive and will transform oncology treatment options and ultimately improve outcomes for patients. The surfaceome mapping in Small Cell Lung Cancer – that we completed within months – has validated our technology platform and approach, demonstrating its potential, and we look forward to applying it to different indications”.
Maina Bhaman, Partner at Sofinnova Partners, added: “DISCO is uniquely positioned to transform cancer care. The team, which brings together individuals with diverse backgrounds from academia, biotech and pharma, combined with its unique surfaceome discovery technology, enables comprehensive target information which neither standard proteomics, nor genome or transcriptome sequencing can provide”
Dieter Weinand, Chairman of the DISCO Board of Directors, commented: “Expanding the possible target space in oncology has been a bottleneck in the industry for decades. I am thrilled to be working with the truly exceptional people at DISCO as I firmly believe that they will be able to overcome this hurdle by using their disruptive surfaceome discovery engine.
Sources:
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/disco-pharmaceuticals-launches-as-the-surfaceome-company-with-eur-20-million-in-seed-financing-302035543.html