The startup develops cell-penetrating mini proteins (CPMPs) that target and neutralize cancer-causing proteins within cancer cells, providing a new therapeutic approach beyond the capabilities of traditional treatments. This technology enables more effective intervention in cancer-related diseases by directly addressing the proteins responsible for tumor growth.
Funding
$507M 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 cancer-causing proteins reside within cells and have relatively flat surfaces, making them inaccessible to traditional drug modalities like small molecules or antibodies. This limitation leaves a significant number of compelling biological targets undruggable, hindering the development of effective treatments for various cancers and other severe diseases.
Solution
Parabilis Medicines is developing Helicon therapeutics, a new class of "large small molecule" drugs based on alpha-helically locked peptides comprised of non-canonical amino acids, to address traditionally undruggable intracellular targets. The Helicon platform integrates AI and physics-based computational methods with high-throughput experimental technologies to discover and optimize these therapeutics. Helicons are designed to bind to relatively flat protein surfaces inside cells, inhibiting protein-protein interactions or inducing protein degradation. The company's lead candidate, FOG-001, is a clinical-stage inhibitor of the interaction of β-catenin with TCF, a known driver of colorectal cancer. Parabilis is also advancing a pipeline of Helicon-enabled protein degraders and radioligand therapies for cancer treatment.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes patients with solid tumors, particularly colorectal cancer, and other cancers driven by traditionally undruggable intracellular protein-protein interactions, as well as the physicians who treat them.
Features
- Helicon therapeutics comprised of stabilized, alpha-helical peptides with custom non-canonical amino acids
- Ability to target intracellular proteins with relatively flat binding surfaces inaccessible to small molecules and antibodies
- Modular chemistry and proprietary linkers for tuning Helicon properties
- AI- and physics-based computational methods for Helicon design and optimization
- Multiplexed experimental platforms for high-throughput screening of Helicon properties
- Custom cell-based assays to quantify cytosolic exposure and optimize cellular entry
- Helicon-enabled protein degradation using E3 ligase linkers and ligands
- Helicon-enabled alpha radioligand therapeutics (HEARTs) for selective tumor cell distribution