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Sitryx

Biotech & Life Sciences · Oxford, United Kingdom · Founded 2018

Sitryx is an Oxford-based biopharmaceutical company developing disease-modifying therapeutics for immuno-oncology and immuno-inflammation by regulating cell metabolism. Founded in 2018 by a group of six world-leading researchers in immunology and metabolism—Houman Ashrafian, Luke O'Neill, Jonathan Powell, Jeff Rathmell, Michael Rosenblum, and Paul Peter Tak—the company was established to translate key breakthroughs in immunometabolism into new medicines. The founders collectively have published over 1,000 papers, providing a deep scientific foundation for the company's approach. The company's leadership team has extensive experience in drug discovery and development. As of July 2024, Iain Kilty, formerly the Chief Scientific Officer, took over as CEO, with former CEO Neil Weir transitioning to the role of President. The company's business model is centered on proprietary drug discovery and strategic partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies. A significant milestone was the exclusive global licensing and research collaboration formed with Eli Lilly and Company in 2020. Under this agreement, Sitryx received a $50 million upfront payment and a $10 million equity investment from Lilly. The deal grants Lilly the license to develop and commercialize up to four novel immunometabolism-targeted therapeutics, with Sitryx eligible for up to $820 million in potential development milestones and additional commercial milestones and royalties. Sitryx is responsible for the drug discovery phase, while Lilly funds and manages clinical development and commercialization. The company has also established a close working relationship with GSK, which provided access to technology and intellectual property. Sitryx operates through a mixed research model, utilizing its own labs in Oxford, funding research in its founders' academic labs, and collaborating with contract research organizations (CROs). Sitryx's therapeutic focus is on correcting immune cell function by targeting the metabolic pathways that are dysregulated in severe conditions like cancer and autoimmune diseases. The company is building a differentiated pipeline of small molecules, proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), and topical formulations. Its pipeline includes several programs at various stages, such as SYX-5219 for atopic dermatitis, SIT-047 for psoriatic arthritis, SIT-033 for ulcerative colitis, and SIT-052 for allergic asthma. The collaboration with Lilly has already advanced a candidate into a Phase 1 study for chronic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Keywords: immunometabolism, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases, biopharmaceutical, drug discovery, cell metabolism, immuno-oncology, small molecules, proteolysis-targeting chimeras, atopic dermatitis, psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Eli Lilly collaboration, GSK collaboration, metabolic pathways, immunology, therapeutics