10 Cambridge spinouts
changing the story of cancer
A brilliant idea for helping cancer patients is just that – an idea – until it is put into practice.
But turning research into something that can improve patient outcomes and benefit healthcare systems around the world is not easy.
Being in Cambridge helps. University spinouts are supported through their commercialisation journey by the University's innovation arm, Cambridge Enterprise.
And becoming part of the UK's leading life sciences cluster in Cambridge and the surrounding area provides plenty of inspiration plus access to investors and talent and the guidance of others who have gone before.
Meet 10 of our spinouts, all committed to changing the story of cancer.
Astex
Pharmaceuticals
Pioneering fragment-based drug discovery
The use of fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD), pioneered by a team of Cambridge chemists and biochemists, led to the foundation of Astex and transformed the way in which pharmaceutical companies can identify new lead compounds for drug discovery.
To date, more than 40 compounds discovered using FBDD have reached clinical trials.
The approach allows for the efficient exploration of chemical space by using small fragments to identify hotspots on protein targets, which are then elaborated into larger drug-like molecules.
Astex's FBDD approach has led to the approval of three drugs in 75 countries, positively impacting patients with breast and urothelial cancer and leukaemia.
Academic founders: Professor Sir Tom Blundell, Department of Biochemistry and Professor Chris Abell, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry
“Cambridge is a great place to start a business because it has a culture of founding companies and an understanding not only of the value of having great opportunities for students graduating and post-docs beginning their careers, but also provides models of how exciting and rewarding work in companies can be.”
Professor Sir Tom Blundell, co-founder, Astex Pharmaceuticals
biomodal
Getting more information from DNA
A new method of studying DNA is offering ground-breaking insights into health and disease.
Fundamental research into understanding genetic and epigenetic information in DNA led to the creation of spinout, biomodal (formerly Cambridge Epigenetix).
Current technologies have difficulty accurately reading epigenetic and genetic information from small samples of DNA, causing crucial information to be missed.
By contrast, biomodal’s innovative technology combines genetic and epigenetic analysis in a single sequencing run, capturing the most important data from DNA samples.
This approach is being used in various fields, including cancer research as well as neurodegenerative diseases, liquid biopsy for early detection of cancer, precision medicine, and non-invasive prenatal testing.
Academic founder: Professor Sir Shankar Balasubramanian, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry
“Cambridge is an exciting melting pot of scholars, researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs. All in a compact and beautiful city. Why would I want to be anywhere else?”
Professor Sir Shankar Balasubramanian, founder, biomdodal
Concr
Using astrophysics to revolutionise cancer treatment
Developing successful cancer treatments remains challenging, with high failure rates. Cosmology may hold the answer.
Founded by a biomedical engineer, a computational physicist and a medical oncologist, Concr uses established computational frameworks from astrophysics to enable learning between disparate and messy oncology data to accurately model cancer biology.
This allows scientists to predict therapeutic response for individual patients, simulate clinical trials and generate biomarker hypotheses, thereby de-risking drug development and improving patient outcomes.
In July 2024, the first patients were recruited into Concr’s observational trial of their FarrSight®-Twin technology for outcome prediction in breast cancer.
Academic founder: Dr Matthew Griffiths, Cavendish Laboratory
“The key determinant to a company's success is the quality of the people that you can draw to your vision.
The tight networks within Cambridge which can be accessed through the many supporting organisations have provided critical access to the investors, advisors, experts, champions, customers and talent that Concr has relied upon to succeed and grow.”
Dr Matthew Griffiths, co-founder, Concr
PharmEnable
Creating revolutionary new medicines with an AI-enabled platform
PharmEnable Therapeutics is breaking down the barriers of inaccessibility: for the patient, the target and the drug.
A pioneering drug discovery company, PharmEnable leverages artificial intelligence to reimagine small molecules.
Working on targets that require the exquisite specificity of biologics, it is creating much-needed treatments particularly for cancer and neurological conditions.
The team is developing a pipeline of life-changing small molecule drugs with antibody-like selectivity targeting hard-to-reach areas.
It is also working with partners across disease areas, where achieving drug selectivity and optimal properties poses a significant challenge.
Academic founder: Dr Hannah Sore, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry
“Cambridge is a one-of-a-kind innovation hub where great ideas thrive with ease by bouncing across academia, pharma and biotech companies.
What sets Cambridge apart is its size and collaboration mindset – within reach you have an extremely supportive ecosystem where everyone works closely together to bring the most exciting innovations to life through incubator programmes, conferences, networking events and access to investors.”
Dr Hannah Sore, co-founder and CEO, PharmEnable
PhoreMost
Drugging the undruggable
PhoreMost is pioneering new technologies to help create treatments for diseases which were previously considered ‘undruggable’.
Through its next-generation screening platforms such as SITESEEKER® and GlueSEEKER, PhoreMost is able to identify the best new targets for future therapies, particularly in oncology and in Targeted Protein Degradation, a technique for dealing with proteins that are causing diseases.
Through this innovative approach PhoreMost aims to expand the number of diseases that can respond to treatment, enabling the discovery of next-generation therapies.
By doing so, it is creating more effective and targeted medicines for patients, increasing treatment options for cancer and other diseases with limited therapies.
Academic founders: Professor Ashok Venkitaraman and Dr Grahame Mckenzie, MRC Cancer Unit
“Depth, breadth and support – these are the key ingredients of the Cambridge landscape that make it a great place to start a biotech business.
The depth and breadth of Cambridge science are unparalleled, in tune with the disruptive and multidisciplinary nature of successful startups today.
Committed support – including expert advice and end-to-end funding opportunities – is a hallmark of the Cambridge network, which engages academics, entrepreneurs, venture funds and multinational companies in a uniquely powerful web of close interactions.”
Professor Ashok Venkitaraman, co-founder, PhoreMost
Spirea
Better treatment options for hard-to-treat cancers
This biotech company, started by a Cambridge nanoscientist, is working on better treatment options for patients with difficult-to-treat cancers.
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are designed to target and kill cancer cells while sparing healthy ones. These therapies combine powerful drugs with antibodies that specifically target cancer cells.
Spirea is focusing its innovative ADCs on treating certain solid tumours, where current treatment options are few.
While ADCs aim to improve upon existing treatments, many have faced challenges in clinical development such as toxicity, limited effectiveness, and the range of cancers they can treat.
Spirea’s technology aims to improve this by attaching more drug to each antibody, enhancing the ability to kill cancer cells.
Academic founder: Dr Myriam Ouberai, Nanoscience Centre
“Cambridge is an inclusive environment supporting entrepreneurship and it is a great place to build your network and access talent and expertise.”
Dr Myriam Ouberai, founder, Spirea
STORM Therapeutics
Paving the way for new treatments by modifying RNA
STORM Therapeutics was founded in 2015 by two Cambridge researchers, following their ground-breaking work in RNA epigenetics.
They identified the importance of RNA modifications during the development of cancer, creating the pathway for STORM to develop pioneering cancer drugs targeting this new mechanism.
STORM's leadership team is dedicated to advancing its first-in-class pipeline into other areas as well as cancer, including inflammation and neurodegenerative and infectious diseases.
Its lead product, STC-15, is the first RNA modifying enzyme inhibitor to enter human clinical trials, currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 study in patients with advanced solid tumours.
Academic founders: Professor Tony Kouzarides and Professor Eric Miska, Gurdon Institute
“Cambridge is known for its cutting-edge research environment. It draws on its world-renowned university alongside a unique biotech and pharma cluster situated throughout the city and its surrounding science parks.
This creates a fantastic life science ecosystem that attracts top scientific talent and investment, providing biotech companies like STORM with an ideal environment.”
Professor Tony Kouzarides, co-founder, STORM Therapeutics
T-Therapeutics
Harnessing the power of natural T cells to transform cancer care
Cancer treatment has advanced over the past decade thanks to breakthroughs in immuno-oncology, which trains the body’s own T cells to target cancer cells.
However, current approaches, although promising, have not yet realised their full potential. T-Therapeutics has developed a new platform, OpTiMus®, based on more than 10 years of medical research at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the University of Cambridge.
By creating a near-unlimited database of T cell receptors (TCRs), the platform enables the development of new therapies which are specific to each patient, unleashing the potential of their own immune system.
T-Therapeutics also aims to harness this approach to target various autoimmune disorders.
Academic founder: Professor Allan Bradley, Department of Medicine
“It’s all about the people. Cambridge University has been a magnet for talent for hundreds of years.
Around this academic core an ecosystem has developed populated with numerous globally impactful research institutes and research-intensive businesses.
Science-based businesses like ours rely on this talent and its mobility to conduct world-class basic research and develop our products.”
Professor Allan Bradley, founder and CEO, T-Therapeutics
Verinnogen
Cutting-edge tools for cancer researchers worldwide to bring critical new treatments to patients faster
Verinnogen has created a device to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of pre-clinical studies, ultimately leading to faster breakthroughs in cancer treatments.
Its innovative hand-held device accurately measures 3D objects, such as subcutaneous tumours, reducing operator error.
This profiling tool enables researchers to measure the true biological responses to treatment. It also enables more ethical research by potentially reducing animal usage and improving animal welfare.
Verinnogen is reducing the cost of evaluating cancer therapies and bringing the next-generation of critical cancer treatments to patients faster.
Academic founders: Dr Isaac Johnson and Dr Mike Irvine, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute
"Cambridge is an exceptional place to start a business, particularly in the life sciences sector. The proximity to world-leading academic research, coupled with a community of forward-thinking companies, provides an ideal environment for innovation.
The collaborative spirit and access to expertise in Cambridge has been instrumental in driving our mission to enhance the precision and efficiency of cancer research, getting the next generation of treatments to patients faster."
Dr Isaac Johnson, co-founder and CEO, Verinnogen
52North
Bringing healthcare closer to patients with advanced medical devices
52North develops cutting-edge medical devices to enhance patient care, particularly for those living with cancer.
One such device is Neutrocheck®, a low-cost, finger-prick test which gives quick, reliable results at home, enabling cancer patients to check their risk of neutropenic sepsis – a dangerous side effect of chemotherapy – without going to hospital.
52North’s technology integrates seamlessly with digital platforms, enabling decentralised clinical decision-making and improving health equity.
52North’s devices can both improve patient outcomes by getting treatment to those at risk sooner, and have the potential to streamline NHS operations, reducing costs and waitlists through more efficient, personalised care.
Academic founder: Dr Saif Ahmad and Dr Mireia Crispin, Department of Oncology, Dr. Nikki Weckman, Department of Engineering
"I don’t think it would have happened anywhere other than Cambridge. Winning that first funding from the postdoc business plan competition gave us access to early funding but more importantly it gave us the belief that setting up the business would work."
Umaima Ahmad, co-founder and CEO, 52North
Published 18 October 2024
Words: Joanna Tramontin
Layout: Sarah Fell
Photography
Banner: Getty Images: credit: Cavan Images
Astex: credit: Wellcome Collection
biomodal credit: unsplash
Concr credit: Concr
PharmEnable credit: PharmEnable
PhoreMost: GettyImages credit: nicolas_
Spirea: GettyImages credit: Love Employee
STORM credit: STORM
T-Therapeutics credit: T-Therapeutics
Verinnogen credit: Verinnogen
52North credit: StillVision
The text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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