Peptomyc develops cell-penetrating mini-proteins that directly inhibit MYC, a critical transcription factor involved in cancer proliferation and resistance. By targeting MYC dysregulation, which occurs in approximately 70% of cancers, Peptomyc aims to improve treatment efficacy and patient outcomes across various cancer types.
Funding
$3.3M 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 exhibit dysregulation of the MYC protein, a key transcription factor that drives proliferation, metabolism, and survival of cancer cells. Current cancer therapies often fail to completely eradicate cancer cells, leading to recurrence and resistance, while also causing undesirable side effects. Directly targeting MYC has been challenging due to its complex structure and function.
Solution
Peptomyc is developing cell-penetrating mini-proteins, including OMO-103, that directly inhibit MYC, a non-redundant transcription factor essential for tumor survival. These mini-proteins are designed to selectively eradicate cancer cells while sparing healthy tissues. By inhibiting MYC, Peptomyc aims to provide a foundational treatment for various cancers with abnormal MYC activity, improving patient survival and quality of life. OMO-103 has demonstrated safety and anti-tumor activity in a Phase I clinical trial and is currently in Phase Ib and Phase II trials for pancreatic cancer and osteosarcoma, respectively.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes patients with solid tumors, particularly those with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and osteosarcoma, as well as oncologists and medical professionals seeking novel therapeutic options for cancers driven by MYC dysregulation.
Features
- First-in-class mini-protein therapeutics that directly target and inhibit MYC
- Cell-penetrating technology for effective delivery to the cell nucleus
- Designed for high selectivity to minimize off-target effects and toxicity
- Potential application across a broad range of cancer types with MYC dysregulation (approximately 70% of cancers)
- OMO-103 is patent-protected with over 10 patent families worldwide
- Currently in Phase Ib clinical trials in combination with standard of care chemotherapy for metastatic PDAC patients
- Currently in Phase II clinical trials for advanced osteosarcoma