Apini Therapeutics

About Apini Therapeutics

Apini Therapeutics is a drug development company, spun out of the University of Manchester in 2021 and founded by Professor Sam Butterworth. The company is focused on creating treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases by developing novel small molecule compounds that inhibit the pro-inflammatory activity of the eNAMPT enzyme. This approach aims to treat conditions like Crohn's disease, Ulcerative Colitis, psoriasis, and cardiovascular disease without causing immune suppression.

The company's scientific foundation is the work of Professor Sam Butterworth, who is also known for being an inventor of Tagrisso, a globally used anti-cancer drug. Apini Therapeutics was established with the support of the University of Manchester's Innovation Factory. The business model is centered on advancing its drug candidates through preclinical studies to demonstrate their potential applications across a broad range of inflammatory conditions. The company operates as a preclinical-stage drug discovery firm, with its revenue model likely based on the future licensing of its compounds or forming strategic partnerships for clinical development and commercialization.

In November 2024, Apini became the first program to be advanced by Slingshot Therapeutics, an accelerator created by Syncona with an initial £12.5 million commitment to turn academic research into biotech assets. Subsequently, in June 2025, Apini secured a £1.8 million investment from Northern Gritstone, which will be delivered in three tranches tied to company milestones. This funding is intended to accelerate the development of the Apini programme toward clinical trials.