HARRISON, N.Y., June 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sapience Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on developing peptide therapeutics to address difficult to treat oncology indications, announced today that it was selected by Johnson & Johnson Innovation, JLABS (JLABS) as a winner of the JLABS @ NYC QuickFire Challenge. Sapience was awarded one year of residency at the JLABS @ NYC, which includes laboratory space and access to Johnson & Johnson Innovation’s network of experts.
The JLABS QuickFire Challenges are contests designed to attract game-changing, early-stage innovation in the pharmaceutical, medical device, consumer and health tech sectors. With a platform capable of discovering peptides that disrupt protein-protein interactions (PPIs), Sapience is building a pipeline of innovative cancer treatments targeting previously “undruggable” targets that reside within the cancer cell. Sapience’s molecules target PPIs responsible for transcriptional regulation of oncogenic and immune-modulatory proteins. Sapience’s lead program, ST101, based on intellectual property licensed from Columbia University, inhibits ATF5-driven transcription and drives cancer cells toward cell death. Additional programs currently being developed via internal R&D efforts and in collaboration with the University of Bath (U.K.), target the cJun/cFos AP1 complex, undisclosed targets in the WNT pathway, and undisclosed immune-modulatory targets.
“We are very excited to join the community of QuickFire Challenge winners. At Sapience, we strive to change outcomes for patients with high mortality cancers. We have a vision of developing molecules that combine the best properties of traditional chemical-based drugs and newer biologic-based drugs, providing opportunities to hit therapeutic targets that these other classes of molecules cannot,” said Dr. Barry Kappel, founder and chief executive officer of Sapience Therapeutics. “We greatly appreciate this recognition of our innovative efforts. The network and resources available to us will be valuable as we continue to build out a broad pipeline of peptide-based therapeutics and drive towards the clinic.”
JLABS is a global network of open innovation ecosystems, enabling and empowering innovators to create and accelerate the delivery of life-enhancing health and wellness solutions to patients around the world. As a leader in innovation, JLABS helps entrepreneurs in pharmaceutical, medical device, consumer, and health tech bring healthcare solutions to patients and consumers.
About Sapience Therapeutics
Sapience Therapeutics, Inc., is a privately held, preclinical biotechnology company focused on developing peptide-based therapeutics for major unmet medical needs, particularly high mortality cancers. Our drug development program involves translating science into novel therapies, and our lead compound, ST101, is a first-in-class molecule with potential applications in various solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. In 2016, Sapience Therapeutics closed its Series A financing, which was led by Eshelman Ventures and included investments from Celgene Corporation, TaiAn Technologies Corporation and Healthlink Capital. For more information on Sapience Therapeutics, please visit www.sapiencetherapeutics.com.
Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, and any statements other than statements of historical fact could be deemed to be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may include, among other things, statements regarding future events that involve significant risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on management’s current expectations, and actual results and future events may differ materially as a result of certain factors, including, without limitation, risks related to the application of the net proceeds from the offering to Sapience’s product development objectives, our ability to obtain additional funds, and meet applicable regulatory standards and receive required regulatory approvals. These are forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Sapience does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events, changed assumptions or otherwise.
Contacts
Sapience Therapeutics, Inc.:
Barry Kappel
President and Chief Executive Officer
info@sapiencetherapeutics.com
Source: Sapience Therapeutics, Inc.
Source: Sapience Therapeutics, Inc.
Released June 26, 2018
