Booster Therapeutics develops small molecules that activate the 20S proteasome to enhance cellular protein degradation, addressing the dysfunction that leads to the accumulation of damaged proteins in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. By restoring proteasome activity, their approach aims to improve cellular resilience and reduce the impact of complex diseases associated with impaired protein homeostasis.
Funding
$15M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
NHFounders
Product
Problem
Cellular protein homeostasis, the balance between protein production and degradation, is disrupted in aging and various diseases. This disruption leads to the accumulation of damaged, misfolded, or unnecessary proteins, contributing to cellular dysfunction. Current protein degradation therapeutics primarily focus on tagging individual proteins for degradation, neglecting the broader issue of natural proteasome dysfunction.
Solution
Booster Therapeutics is developing a new class of small molecule medicines designed to directly activate the 20S proteasome, the cell's natural quality control machinery. This approach aims to restore the body's ability to clear disease-causing proteins and rebalance cellular homeostasis. By boosting 20S proteasome activity, Booster Therapeutics seeks to enhance cellular resilience, accelerate toxic protein removal, and address complex diseases associated with impaired protein homeostasis, particularly neurodegenerative diseases. Their DGRADX™ platform combines automated high-throughput screening, X-ray crystallography, and advanced computational tools to identify and develop activator compounds with therapeutic potential.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes individuals affected by neurodegenerative diseases and other complex conditions associated with impaired protein homeostasis, as well as pharmaceutical companies seeking novel therapeutic approaches in these areas.
Features
- Small molecule activators designed to directly boost the activity of the 20S proteasome.
- DGRADX™ platform for automated high-throughput screening and X-ray crystallography.
- Focus on restoring the natural 20S proteasome function, which recognizes disordered proteins without ubiquitin tagging.
- Compounds accelerate toxic protein removal and rebalance cellular homeostasis.
- Aims to reverse proteasome dysfunction associated with age and disease.