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Femtogenix
DNA-interactive payloads for antibody-drug conjugates
About Femtogenix
Femtogenix is a biotechnology company spun out from King's College London in 2015, focused on developing highly potent DNA-interactive molecules, or "payloads," for use in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) to treat cancer. The company was founded by Professor David Thurston, Dr. Khondaker Miraz Rahman, and Dr. Paul Jackson, building on their research at King's College London. This founding team aimed to replicate the success of their previous venture, Spirogen, which was acquired by AstraZeneca. Thurston, who serves as Chief Scientific Officer, has extensive experience in the field, having also co-founded Spirogen. The initial Series A funding was provided by Research Corporation Technologies (RCT), which was also an early investor in Spirogen. In March 2022, the company secured $36.6M in a Series B round.
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The company's business model is centered on developing its proprietary payload platform and then partnering with and licensing its technology to biopharmaceutical companies. This allows its novel payloads to be combined with third-party targeting systems, such as monoclonal antibodies, to create next-generation ADCs. Femtogenix has established licensing agreements with companies like Iksuda Therapeutics to incorporate its payloads into their ADC programs for difficult-to-treat solid tumors.
Femtogenix's core technology is its Pyridinobenzodiazepine (PDD) payload platform, which utilizes computational chemistry and deep expertise in DNA-targeted drug discovery. This platform designs molecules that bind to the minor groove of DNA in a sequence-selective manner, leading to targeted cytotoxicity in tumor cells while minimizing systemic side effects. Key features of these payloads include a novel mechanism of action, minimal hydrophobicity, and resistance to P-Glycoprotein pumps in cancer cells, which often cause drug resistance. The technology allows for the creation of payloads with a range of potencies and the development of both mono-alkylators and DNA cross-linking agents, overcoming some limitations of existing ADC technologies.
At a glance
- Status
- Operational
- Founded
- 2015
- Headquarters
- St Albans, United Kingdom
- Employees
- 3
- Open positions
- None listed
- Dealroom signal
- 60.5/100
- Industry
- Health
- Sub-industry
- BioTechnology
- Sector
- Biotech & Life Sciences, Biotechnology, Oncology, Drug Development, DNA, Genetics and genomics, Spinout, Genome Engineering, Biotech and Pharma, uk is8 life sciences, UKSU, UKSU2010
- Business model
- Manufacturing
Knowledge graph
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Funding history
Company financing events and reported valuations.
| Deal type | Date | Amount | Valuation | Investors | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LATE VCOther financing | Mar 2022 | $69M | $274M | Undisclosed | ↗ |
| SPINOUTOther financing | Jan 2015 | — | — | King's College London | — |
Growth signals
Latest recorded traffic for Femtogenix is 270 monthly website visits, up 58.8% over the last three months. Femtogenix's team grew 0% over the past year.
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Investments and acquisitions
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Investors
From Dealroom's funding and investor records, grouped by the round each investor first entered.
Other known investors1 additional known investor
King's College London
Source: Dealroom Talent Intelligence.
Global footprint
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