Cumulus Oncology and leadXpro reach critical milestone in drug discovery project GPR68

Small molecules identified for therapeutic intervention in oncology and inflammation

EDINBURGH, Scotland and VILLIGEN, Switzerland, Aug. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cumulus Oncology, Europe's first oncology-focused biotech company, announces that, in collaboration with its partner leadXpro (LXP), key milestones have been achieved in their protein structure-based drug discovery project GPR68. As a result, Cumulus has licensed the small molecule compounds and associated intellectual property generated from this collaboration and will continue the lead optimization program and beyond.

In July 2023, Cumulus Oncology and LXP announced a collaboration to develop small molecules targeting GPR68, a key proton-sensitive G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), using cutting-edge computational, biophysical and structural biology technologies. In a world first, LXP has deciphered high-resolution antagonist protein structures of GPR68, enabling rapid drug development. This enabled the partnership to identify a series of potent and selective small molecules for therapeutic intervention in cancer and inflammation in less than 12 months, leading to this licensing. The collaboration will now move into an accelerated drug optimization phase utilizing these established state-of-the-art rational drug design and computational techniques.

LXP will receive a share of revenues from future commercialization of the project. Further financial details are not being disclosed. During the course of the GPR68 program, Cumulus plans to seek regulatory approval to begin clinical development through its Switzerland-based portfolio company GIO Therapeutics, which was established to develop a portfolio of GPCR targets. The GPR68 program is the first program to be developed by GIO Therapeutics.

Clare Wareing, CEO of Cumulus Oncology said: “The LeadXpro team consists of world-leading experts in GPCR drug discovery and decoding membrane protein structures to improve human health. This successful collaboration and the milestones achieved have led to the licensing agreement between Cumulus and LXP, which exemplifies the Cumulus model. Cumulus takes a platform and modality agnostic approach to identifying new targets and assets, seeking opportunities that have the potential to transform therapeutic options for patients who are not well served by existing treatments. As these assets reach key inflection points, they are further developed in new companies that we establish and manage.”

Co-founder, CEO and Chairman of the Board of LeadXpro, Michael Hennig added: “We are delighted to have achieved this important milestone in drug development in collaboration with Cumulus Oncology. Clare and her team share our passion for structure-based drug discovery. Together, with our input from medicinal chemistry, computational chemistry, biophysics and structural biology, we have achieved fantastic success in a short period of time. We look forward to continuing our collaboration on this therapeutically important proton-sensitive GPCR. This continues to be a very positive relationship and demonstrates that we are the partner of choice for structure-based drug discovery of novel membrane protein targets.”

About Cumulus Oncology

Cumulus Oncology is Europe's first biotech incubator dedicated to the development of novel therapeutics. The company sources novel oncology assets from academic institutes, commercial drug discovery groups and biopharmaceutical companies, as well as from its own internal asset search engine. An early focus on molecularly selected patient subgroups is a key aspect of the business model. The company integrates the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) platforms into its decision-making process to prioritize targets and assets and generate hypotheses for patient subgroups.

Cumulus currently manages two spin-off companies: Nodus Oncology, a DDR portfolio company whose main asset is a PARG inhibitor program with a positive data package, and GIO Therapeutics AG, founded in 2024 and focused on developing GPCRs-based therapeutics for oncology and inflammation.

Cumulus contributes both seed capital and expertise in cancer drug development, guiding each spin-out company to achieve key development milestones and value inflection points. The Cumulus team has extensive expertise in drug discovery and development and has a track record of successfully approving drugs over the past 20 years.

Follow the company on LinkedIn and check out the website for more information.

About leadXpro AG

leadXpro AG is a biotechnology company specializing in structure-based drug discovery for membrane proteins. Membrane proteins are the most promising targets for drug discovery, but also the most challenging. To achieve these goals, we combine expertise in protein science, breakthrough technologies in structural biology and expertise in ligand design and characterization. leadXpro's research covers a range of membrane proteins, including GPCRs, ion channels, transporters and enzymes. leadXpro acts as a research partner for a growing number of partners from the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and academic industries.

About Proton Sensing GPCRs

Proton-sensitive G-protein-coupled receptors are transmembrane receptors located in the outer membrane of cells. They sense changes in the acidity of the environment outside the cell and transmit this information to the cell with instructions for adaptation. This inherently beneficial and adaptive response can go awry and/or be hijacked by cancer or diseased cells to allow them to survive in a low pH (acidic) environment. Such receptors are an under-utilized class of targets.

Media inquiries

Cumulus Oncology

Clare Wareing, CEO of Cumulus

[email protected]

leadXpro AG

Michael Hennig, CEO of leadXpro

[email protected]

Scius Communications (for Cumulus Oncology)

Katja Stout

Phone: +44 7789 435 990

[email protected]

Daniel Gooch