RadioRx

About RadioRx

RadioRx, Inc. was a biotechnology firm established in 2002 and based in Mountain View, California. The company focused on discovering and developing chemical compounds adapted from the aerospace industry for medical use, particularly in treating cancer.

The company's original name, RadioRx, was chosen because its lead drug candidate, ABDNAZ (alpha bromo dinitroazetidine), was initially believed to be a radiosensitizer—a drug that makes tumors more susceptible to radiation therapy. This compound, licensed around 2010 from defense contractor ATK Thiokol (now part of Northrop Grumman), was designated RRx-001. Further research revealed that RRx-001's capabilities extended beyond radiosensitization. It demonstrated single-agent anticancer activity, chemosensitization, and properties as an anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-ischemic agent. Crucially, it also acted as a radioprotector, shielding normal tissues from radiation damage without protecting tumors.

The broad mechanism of action of RRx-001, which includes the inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome, expanded its potential applications to autoimmune diseases, cardiopulmonary conditions, and neurodegenerative disorders. Due to confusion with an El Salvadoran radio station and the misconception that it was a radiopharmaceutical company, RadioRx rebranded to EpicentRx to better reflect its broader, epigenetics-related activities.