Modulus Oncology. A first in class oncology portfolio company modulating the AM2 receptor for improved patient outcomes in tumour types poorly served by existing therapies.
Having successfully secured £5m of grant funding from the Wellcome Trust, Professor Tim Skerry and a team of TUOS researchers supported by pharma industry collaborators set out to target the AM2R with small molecule antagonists with the goal of creating a new class of anti-cancer therapeutics. Using a sophisticated structure/activity relationship (SAR) model, the team successfully generated a series of novel first in class AM2R antagonists and went on to validate and designate a development candidate.
The Company’s lead clinical candidate (SHF-1036), shows favourable target engagement coupled with an encouraging pharmacokinetic and toxicity profile. It has already generated strong biological proof-of-concept data, demonstrating anti-tumour activity in pancreatic cancer models. The team’s deep understanding of the intricacies of AM2R biology and the necessary features required for optimal target engagement are key differentiators for Modulus. The inclusion of pharmaceutical collaborators in the discovery programme coupled with the support of successful biotech entrepreneurs as founders of the company have established a strong foundation for the future development of Modulus Oncology.
The research programme which underpins Modulus Oncology was recently published here.