Nodus Oncology develops small molecules that inhibit DNA damage response mechanisms, specifically targeting vulnerabilities in cancer cells to induce replication stress and cell death. Their lead compounds, a best-in-class PARG inhibitor and a first-in-class DNA replication inhibitor, aim to enhance therapeutic options for tumors with specific DNA repair deficiencies.
Funding
$5.2M 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 therapies by upregulating DNA repair mechanisms. Selectively targeting these DNA repair pathways can create vulnerabilities in cancer cells, leading to cell death, but effective and specific inhibitors are needed.
Solution
Nodus Oncology develops small molecule inhibitors of DNA damage response (DDR) pathways to induce replication stress and cell death in cancer cells. Their approach focuses on exploiting specific DNA repair deficiencies present in certain tumors. By inhibiting key enzymes involved in DNA repair and replication, Nodus Oncology's compounds aim to disrupt the cancer cell's ability to maintain genomic integrity, ultimately leading to cell death. The company's lead compounds include a PARG (Poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase) inhibitor and a DNA replication inhibitor, each designed to target distinct vulnerabilities within the DDR network.
Target Audience
Nodus Oncology's primary target audience includes pharmaceutical companies, oncologists, and researchers focused on developing and utilizing targeted cancer therapies, particularly for tumors with specific DNA repair deficiencies.
Features
- PARGi: A best-in-class PARG inhibitor designed to exploit DNA repair vulnerabilities in tumors.
- NOD1: A first-in-class DNA replication inhibitor with a novel mechanism of action to induce replication stress.
- Small molecule therapeutics designed for targeted inhibition of DNA damage response pathways.
- Compounds induce DNA gaps and replication stress, leading to cancer cell death by replication catastrophe.