CasInvent Pharma develops highly selective small-molecule inhibitors targeting the Casein Kinase 1 (CK1) family to treat resistant tumors, including acute myeloid leukemia and solid tumors like pancreatic cancer and melanoma. By disrupting the cellular mechanisms that contribute to treatment resistance, these compounds aim to enhance therapeutic efficacy and improve patient outcomes in oncology.
Funding
$3.1M 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.
Founders
Product
Problem
Many cancers develop resistance to existing treatments through various cellular mechanisms, leading to disease progression and poor patient outcomes. Current therapies often lack the specificity needed to effectively target these resistance mechanisms across diverse tumor types.
Solution
CasInvent Pharma is developing a portfolio of highly selective, small-molecule inhibitors targeting the Casein Kinase 1 (CK1) family of serine/threonine kinases to combat treatment-resistant tumors. These inhibitors are designed to disrupt the specific cellular pathways that drive resistance in cancers such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML), melanoma, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and pancreatic cancer. By selectively targeting CK1 isoforms, CasInvent's compounds aim to restore sensitivity to existing therapies, enhance therapeutic efficacy, and improve patient outcomes. The inhibitors address resistance mechanisms by influencing cell migration and interactions within the tumor microenvironment. The company's lead candidates are advancing toward clinical phase Ib trials, with a focus on overcoming resistance to therapies like venetoclax in AML and BRAF inhibitors in melanoma.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes pharmaceutical companies and clinical investigators focused on developing novel cancer therapies, particularly for treatment-resistant tumors, as well as patients with acute myeloid leukemia and solid tumors.
Features
- Highly selective small-molecule inhibitors targeting specific CK1 isoforms (α, δ, ε, γ)
- Designed to overcome resistance mechanisms in AML, melanoma, TNBC, and pancreatic cancer
- Compounds exhibit improved selectivity and potency compared to previous CK1 inhibitors like PF-670462
- Modular synthesis allows for rapid preparation of compounds in gram quantities
- Favorable drug-like properties: low molecular weight (M < 400), clogP between 2.0 and 4.5, and good water solubility
- IP is subject to the exclusive sublicenceable worldwide license from the Masaryk University