FORMA And Cancer Research Technology Form A Third Virtual Company To Advance Deubiquitination Assets
WATERTOWN, Mass. & LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FORMA Therapeutics and Cancer Research Technology, Ltd. (CRT) announced today the formation of a third new virtual Asset Discovery and Development Company (ADDCos) with novel chemical matter targeting an undisclosed deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB). ADDCos are virtual companies that rapidly advance drug discovery innovations in a compelling scientific area through the collaboration of academic thought leaders, FORMA drug discovery scientists and a world class development network.
“DUBs continue to represent highly attractive discovery targets warranting further exploration”
This achievement is the result of an ongoing long-term initiative between FORMA and CRT, the commercial arm of Cancer Research UK, to discover innovative tools, technologies and therapeutic drug candidates against a variety of DUBs that regulate protein homeostasis. Under the agreement, FORMA is pairing its ultra-efficient drug discovery and early development capabilities with expertise from CRT’s Discovery Laboratories (CRT-DL) and the exclusive world-class academic network of Cancer Research UK scientists.
Protein ubiquitination, a highly regulated cellular process controlled in part by DUBs to maintain protein homeostasis with appropriate protein levels and function, contributes to a large number of wide-ranging human diseases when aberrantly dysregulated. DUBs, as members of diverse protein complexes, are key regulators of ubiquitin recycling, processing, proofreading and disassembly. DUBs contain a catalytic domain surrounded by one or more accessory domains, some of which contribute to target recognition, and collectively represent molecular features ideally suited for therapeutic intervention.
“DUBs continue to represent highly attractive discovery targets warranting further exploration,” stated Steven Tregay, Ph.D., President and CEO, FORMA Therapeutics. “The evolution of R&D across a distributed network of diverse scientific disciplines allows FORMA to rapidly and creatively advance research discoveries into clinical candidates."
Keith Blundy, CEO of Cancer Research Technology, said: “This partnership has proven to yield exciting biology and translational outcomes, when pairing complementary skills and capabilities together within a unique business structure. We look forward seeing such research discoveries develop into new medicines offering breakthrough treatments to cancer patients worldwide.”
About FORMA
FORMA Therapeutics' scientists are passionate
about discovering and developing medicines that will make a difference
in oncology and other genetically driven therapeutic areas. The
company's drug discovery engine drives screening and structure-based
approaches across broad families of targets involved in tumor
metabolism, epigenetics, protein homeostasis and protein-protein
interactions. Deep biological insight across targets is combined with
the company's chemistry expertise and integrated with a world class
network of academic investigators, clinical experts and corporate
partners to rapidly direct the creation of high quality, innovative drug
candidates.
FORMA is headquartered in Watertown, MA near the epicenter of the Cambridge Life Sciences cluster, with additional chemistry operations in Branford, CT. www.formatherapeutics.com
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About Cancer Research Technology
Cancer Research Technology
(CRT) is a specialist commercialisation and development company, which
aims to develop new discoveries in cancer research for the benefit of
cancer patients. CRT works closely with leading international cancer
scientists and their institutes to protect intellectual property arising
from their research and to establish links with commercial partners. CRT
facilitates the discovery, development and marketing of new cancer
therapeutics, vaccines, diagnostics and enabling technologies. CRT is a
wholly owned subsidiary of Cancer Research UK, the world's leading
cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research. Further
information about CRT can be found at www.cancertechnology.com.
About Cancer Research UK
- Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research.
- Cancer Research UK’s pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives.
- Cancer Research UK receives no government funding for its life-saving research. Every step it makes towards beating cancer relies on every pound donated.
- Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival rates in the UK double in the last forty years.
- Today, 2 in 4 people survive cancer. Cancer Research UK’s ambition is to accelerate progress so that 3 in 4 people will survive cancer within the next 20 years.
- Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.
- Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.
For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1022 or visit www.cancerresearchuk.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.