MD Anderson and Deerfield Management create Vescor LLC to develop novel therapeutics based on inhibiting autophagy for treatment of specific cancers
Summary
Vescor, advised by its scientific founders White and Kimmelman, whose research has shown inhibition of autophagy can dramatically impact tumor growth in pre-clinical models, will develop small molecule inhibitors of a number of protein targets at critical nodes of the autophagy cascade, perform investigational new drug (IND) enabling studies, and move these into clinical development. "Numerous pre-clinical studies have now shown a requirement for autophagy in sustaining tumor growth, including pancreatic cancer, as well as in providing a mechanism of resistance to a number of currently used therapies," said Kimmelman. In creating Vescor, Deerfield and MD Anderson aim to perform drug discovery and development in a markedly different way than traditional oncology start-ups. "Our goal is to drive novel drug discovery paradigms and develop cancer therapeutics targeting unexplored mechanisms that might provide high clinical impact. White and Kimmelman and MD Anderson to expedite the novel biology of autophagy and to develop drugs that have the ability to impact the lives of patients."