A Clinical Stage Biotechnology Company Forging a New Class
of Peptide-Based Cancer Therapeutics
We are a clinical stage biotechnology company forging a new class of peptide-based cancer therapeutics. Our drug candidates are uniquely designed to target transcription factors known to drive oncogenesis and immune suppression in patients with high mortality cancers.
Leveraging our library-based screening system, ADAPT™, we identify and enhance novel peptide molecules, SPEARs™, to build a pipeline of candidates with potent anti-cancer and immune-activating mechanisms of action.
Our first clinical SPEAR, ST101, is currently being evaluated in the Phase 2 portion of a Phase 1-2 clinical trial and has demonstrated proof of concept with clinical responses in advanced solid tumors, including glioblastomas. Our second clinical SPEAR, ST316, received IND clearance in March 2023 and is currently enrolling patients in the Phase 1 portion of a Phase 1-2 study.
In forming Sapience, we sought to solve a long-
standing industry challenge – drugging
intracellular protein complexes
Traditional modalities lack the properties necessary to achieve this goal. While small molecules are able to penetrate cells, they are not able to disrupt the protein-protein interactions (PPIs) that form transcription complexes. Antibodies can disrupt these interactions, but they cannot penetrate cells.
Though peptides are known to embody the best attributes of both categories, scientists have struggled to convert them into stable, effective drugs for over 30 years.
We saw an innovative way to identify ideal peptides targeting elusive transcription factors and convert them into high-impact, stable, and well-tolerated cancer therapies.
Innovative Science Backed by a Culture of Execution
Our programs and platform are built by a world-class team with decades of experience in peptide chemistry, molecular biology, immunology, and oncologic drug development.