- Proprietary E3 ligase platform to enable protein
stabilisation "at source", thereby restoring the body's
sophisticated natural disease suppression processes
- Platform scales the assessment of E3 ligase targets
while addressing the historic challenges of drugging these
targets
- Pipeline of first-in-class, small molecule, E3 ligase
inhibitors to stabilise proteins and treat disease in several
therapeutic areas, including cancer and neurology
- Lead programme focused on hard-to-treat
solid tumours
- Originates from the lab of Prof Satpal Virdee at the
MRC Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit at the
University of Dundee
DUNDEE, Scotland, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Outrun
Therapeutics ("Outrun"), the E3 ligase inhibitor and protein
stabilisation specialist, today exits from stealth following a
$10m seed financing round. Outrun's
platform has enabled it to rapidly build a pipeline of highly
selective, small molecule, first-in-class E3 ligase inhibitors, as
well as identify novel E3 ligase targets across multiple disease
areas. Outrun's lead programme is focused on hard-to-treat solid
tumours.
E3 ligase inhibition in protein stabilisation is of very high
interest as a therapeutic approach to treating many diseases. Cells
have evolved highly sophisticated ways of keeping disease at bay,
and empowering the body to take care of itself is potentially the
most effective way of suppressing disease. Inhibiting targeted E3
ligases enables protein stabilisation "at source", being directly
part of the tagging mechanism involved in healthy cellular
processing of destabilised, unwanted, or mis-formed proteins. This
restores the body's sophisticated natural disease suppression
processes and could be applicable to a wide range of indications,
including oncology and neurology.
Selective protein stabilisation by inhibiting specific E3
ligases will expand the disease indications that can be addressed
with protein stabilisation and minimise side effects. There are
~700 E3 ligases representing the vast number of discrete cellular
processes they control, providing potential targets for Outrun to
develop effective precision medicines against.
Outrun has developed a proprietary, high throughput platform
which allows robust, highly accurate, quantitative assessment of
the specificity and selectivity of E3 ligase targets, thereby
dramatically reducing the discovery time for E3 ligase inhibitors,
improving specificity and target binding. Furthermore, the platform
uses engineered protein sensors (EPS) to uncover the detailed
biochemistry of E3 ligases, enabling discovery of drugs with
potentially superior binding, specificity, and activity. Outrun's
approach is a scalable and modular strategy for developing
next-generation small molecule drugs targeting E3 ligases,
particularly inhibitors that stabilise proteins.
Dr Carolyn Porter, Chief
Executive Officer of Outrun Therapeutics,
said: "Protein stabilisation is the mirror image
of protein degradation and seeks to maintain the levels of critical
proteins that are otherwise unbalanced in certain diseases,
disrupting the body's highly sophisticated natural disease
suppression processes. We are bringing our world class knowledge of
E3 ligase biology and protein-to-protein interactions, combined
with our proprietary discovery platform, to unlock the potential of
this exciting new therapeutic area."
Dr Jeffrey Moore, President at
MP Healthcare Venture Management, commented: "We believe
protein stabilisation via E3 ligase inhibition is a potentially
powerful new therapeutic modality. With world leading research
under the guidance of a talented management team, we are confident
that Outrun has the potential to transform a variety of disease
areas, such as oncology and neurology."
Dr Bauke Anninga, Investment
Director at M Ventures, added: "We are delighted to be one
of the founding investors of Outrun. The Company's novel platform
enabling rapid assessment of the specificity and selectivity of E3
ligase inhibitors, provides a highly competitive edge to reduce
discovery timelines and build a first in class pipeline."
Led by a seasoned management team and a strong Board, Outrun was
spun out of founder Prof. Satpal
Virdee's world-renowned MRC Protein Phosphorylation and
Ubiquitylation Unit at the University of
Dundee. Outrun's Scientific Advisory Board consists of
highly relevant, world-leading experts in ubiquitylation and
oncology. Outrun is backed by leading venture capital investors M
Ventures and MP Healthcare Venture Management.
About Outrun Therapeutics
Outrun Therapeutics is unlocking the therapeutic potential of
protein stabilisation by E3 ligase inhibition to maintain levels of
critical proteins that are otherwise destabilised in certain
diseases, disrupting the body's highly sophisticated natural
disease suppression processes. Blocking E3 ligase activity enables
protein stabilisation "at source" compared to other approaches. It
is directly part of the tagging mechanism used by healthy cells to
destabilise proteins that are dispensable or mis-formed. Protein
stabilisation could be applicable to a wide range of indications,
including oncology and neurology.
Despite the very high interest in E3 ligases as a therapeutic
target, they have been challenging to drug. This is a roadblock
that Outrun is addressing through its world class knowledge of E3
ligase biology and its proprietary discovery platform, which
simplifies and dramatically scales the assessment of E3 ligase
targets, thereby significantly reducing discovery time.
Furthermore, the platform's elegant engineered protein sensor (EPS)
screen is enabling Outrun to build a pipeline of highly valuable,
small molecule, first-in-class, E3 ligase inhibitors to prevent
protein degradation, as well as identify novel E3 ligase targets
involved in a range of diseases.
Outrun's lead programme is a small molecule inhibitor targeting
an E3 ligase that destabilises a tumour suppressor protein in
hard-to-treat solid tumours.
Spun out of founder Prof. Satpal
Virdee's lab at the world-renowned MRC Protein
Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit at the University of Dundee, Outrun is led by a seasoned
management team with a strong track record in creating robust
biopharma businesses. It is backed by M Ventures and MP Healthcare
Venture Management. For more information, see:
https://outruntx.com
About M Ventures
M Ventures is the strategic, corporate venture capital arm of
science and technology company, Merck. From its headquarters in
Germany and offices in
the Netherlands, USA and Israel, M Ventures invests globally in
transformational ideas driven by innovative entrepreneurs. Taking
an active role in its portfolio companies, M Ventures teams up with
management teams and co-investors to translate scientific
discoveries into commercial success. M Ventures focuses on
identifying and financing novel solutions to some of the most
difficult challenges, through company creation and equity
investments in fields that will impact the vitality and
sustainability of Merck's current and future businesses. For more
information, see http://www.m-ventures.com/.
About MP Healthcare Venture Management, Inc.
MP Healthcare Venture Management, Inc. ("MPH") is a Boston-based life sciences venture capital
firm in the United States that
invests in innovative companies developing new therapies, platform
technologies, and vaccines. MPH supports business activities by
investing in domestic and overseas seeds and early-stage startups.
MPH is Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Group's corporate venture capital
business. For more information, see
https://www.mp-healthcare.com/.
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