Cedilla Therapeutics Unveils Lead Programs for the Conditional Inhibition of TEAD and CDK2, Two High Value and Historically Undruggable Cancer Drivers

–Conditional modulation of proteins in their functional state opens a new dimension in precision oncology–

–IND-enabling studies expected to initiate in 1H 2022 for TEAD program and in 2H 2022 for CDK2 program–

Excerpt from the Press Release:

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Cedilla Therapeutics, a biotechnology company bringing a new dimension to precision oncology, today revealed its two lead conditional inhibitor programs: an inhibitor of TEAD for the treatment of solid tumors, such as mesothelioma and certain squamous cell carcinomas; and a highly selective inhibitor of CDK2 for the treatment of multiple tumor types, including CDK4/6-resistant breast cancer, ovarian, uterine, stomach, and esophageal cancers. Both programs are wholly owned by Cedilla. In addition, Cedilla is pursuing discovery research efforts against a portfolio of high value cancer targets.

“Over the past three years, we have built an integrated suite of capabilities that enable us to understand the relevant functional states of important yet elusive cancer targets, and identify previously unrecognized small molecule binding sites,” said Alexandra Glucksmann, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Cedilla Therapeutics. “Today, we are excited to announce our two lead programs from our internal efforts to discover conditional inhibitors: an inhibitor of TEAD and a highly selective inhibitor of CDK2. We look forward to advancing these programs closer to the clinic and creating novel medicines with the potential to deliver profound benefit to patients.”

The discovery of both programs was enabled by Cedilla’s novel approach to developing small molecule conditional inhibitors. Cedilla recognizes proteins as dynamic entities, whose function is orchestrated by inter-molecular associations and post-translational tailoring. By accounting for the native full-length protein with relevant post-translational modifications, protein-protein interactions and sub-cellular localization, Cedilla is able to understand proteins in their functional state to discover new ways to access key cancer drivers that have been considered undruggable.

“Since our founding, we have worked to develop a deep understanding of high-value, historically inaccessible targets, and to identify new vulnerabilities that may enable us to drug them more effectively, delivering superior clinical benefit,” said Brian Jones, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer. “Based on preclinical data, I believe our TEAD and CDK2 programs have clear advantages relative to historical approaches, offering the opportunity for preferential clinical utility, in terms of targeted efficacy or combinability with other therapeutic mechanisms. We look forward to advancing both programs into IND-enabling studies next year.”

Click the button below to read the entire Press Release:

Continue Reading The Press Release