IDEAYA Biosciences develops targeted therapeutics for genetically-defined cancers using synthetic lethality, a method that exploits specific genetic alterations in tumors to induce cancer cell death. By employing molecular diagnostics, the company aims to create first-in-class treatments that address the unmet needs of patients with complex cancer profiles.
Funding
$263M 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 have specific genetic alterations that, while not directly druggable, create vulnerabilities that can be exploited to selectively kill cancer cells. Traditional cancer treatments often lack the precision to target these vulnerabilities, leading to off-target effects and resistance. There remains a significant unmet need for therapies that can effectively target genetically-defined cancers with minimal impact on healthy cells.
Solution
IDEAYA Biosciences develops targeted therapeutics for genetically-defined cancers by leveraging the principle of synthetic lethality. This approach identifies pairs of genes where the inactivation of one gene alone is tolerated, but the simultaneous inactivation of both leads to cancer cell death. By focusing on these synthetic lethal interactions, IDEAYA aims to create precision medicines that selectively target cancer cells with specific genetic alterations, while sparing healthy cells. The company integrates target and biomarker discovery with small molecule and protein degrader therapeutics, spanning from early discovery through clinical development.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes patients with genetically-defined cancers and the oncologists treating them, particularly those with tumors harboring specific genetic alterations that can be exploited through synthetic lethality.
Features
- Focus on synthetic lethality targets to exploit cancer-specific vulnerabilities.
- Development of small molecule and protein degrader therapeutics.
- Integrated approach to target and biomarker discovery.
- Molecular diagnostics for patient selection based on genetic alterations.
- Clinical-stage programs advancing towards potential first-in-class and/or best-in-class treatments.
- Targeting historically undruggable targets indirectly through synthetic lethality.