Angiex is developing first-in-class Nuclear-Delivered Antibody-Drug Conjugates™ (ND-ADCs) to address the hallmarks of cancer lethality
Cancers are distinguished from normal tissue by a number of hallmarks. Many of these hallmarks are shared by both benign and malignant cancers, but some are found only in malignant cancers capable of killing. Three hallmarks above all contribute to cancer lethality:
Suppression of Immune Defense
So that the immune system fails to detect cancer cells and eliminate them – like the Devil, cancer’s greatest trick is pretending it doesn’t exist.
Angiogenesis
The growth of new blood vessels — enables tumors to grow without limit.
Invasion and Metastasis
The migration of tumor cells through normal tissue and their spread throughout the body – accounts for most cancer deaths.
Angiex founders discovered the special biology of the intracellular transporter TM4SF1.
TM4SF1 is normally specific to endothelial cells (the cells lining the walls of blood vessels) where it enables new blood vessels to grow. But TM4SF1 is commonly turned on by malignant cancer cells because it enables them to invade and metastasize.
TM4SF1 is widely and highly expressed in the tumor cells of most solid cancers and in the endothelial cells of angiogenic tumor blood vessels. Drugs directed to TM4SF1 can therefore attack both Angiogenesis and Invasion and Metastasis. Moreover, because the endothelium controls immune cell trafficking into tumors, TM4SF1-directed drugs can potentially overcome cancer’s Suppression of Immune Defense.
TM4SF1 has another special feature: it internalizes from the cell surface to the nucleus. This is a gift to drug-makers: TM4SF1-directed antibody can carry conjugated drug payloads inside tumor cells to their most sensitive and protected compartment.
The more malignant the cancer the better Angiex ND-ADCs can treat them
TM4SF1 is highly expressed in most solid cancers
Angiex’s mission is to exploit the biology of TM4SF1 to make new drugs – Nuclear-Delivered Antibody-Drug Conjugates™ (ND-ADCs) – that specifically find tumor cells and tumor vascular endothelial cells and deliver conjugated drug payloads that destroy cancers or deprive them of their hallmarks of lethality.
Angiex believes that no one should die of cancer. Angiex’s lead drug, AGX101 is soon entering the clinic, and is our first step toward fulfilling that promise.
Angiex is an ambitious startup looking for the highest quality partners. If you can help, please contact us...
