A new drug candidate in the fight against cancer!

Apmonia Therapeutics is a biotechnology company that develops therapeutic strategies […]

Apmonia Therapeutics is a biotechnology company that develops innovative therapeutic strategies based on targeting the extracellular matrix.

Leveraging recent advances in computational protein and peptide engineering, as well as cutting-edge screening and validation technologies, Apmonia Therapeutics' mission is to use its technology platform to develop new therapies for cancer patients.

Technology

Research conducted in recent years has shown that the CD47 cell receptor promotes tumor progression by acting as an integrator of pro-cancer signals that regulate various biological processes.

In particular, the activation of CD47 by TSP-1 (thrombospondin-1) plays a key role in angiogenic processes and in the immune response, making the TSP-1:CD47 interaction a pharmacological target of interest for the development of therapeutic tools against tumor progression and metastatic spread.

In this context, research conducted at URCA's UMR CNRS 7369 MEDyC by a team of researchers including Prof. Stéphane DEDIEU and Dr. Albin JEANNE has led to the development of a new antagonist peptide that inhibits the binding of TSP-1 to its CD47 receptor (the TAX2 peptide), reducing tumor vascularization, inducing an anti-metastatic response, and activating an immune response directed against cancer cells.

Support from SATT Nord

SATT Nord financed the maturation of the project initiated by Prof. Stéphane DEDIEU's team, enabling the proof of concept for the therapeutic use of this drug candidate to be consolidated and extended.

Albin JEANNE

A biochemist by training, Albin Jeanne developed his expertise over five years at SATT Nord before co-founding Apmonia Therapeutics, where he now serves as President and Chief Scientific Officer, with the aim of defining the development strategy for the drug candidate TAX2 for industry and patients.

Abderrahim LACHGAR

Abderrahim Lachgar has over 20 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. An immunologist by training, he has held management positions in various biotechnology companies and has been involved in a range of national and international development programs and clinical trials.

 

Stéphane DEDIEU

Professor Stéphane Dedieu co-leads a team of 40 people at the CNRS/URCA 7369 MEDyC (Extracellular Matrix and Cellular Dynamics) unit. Co-inventor of patents exploited by Apmonia Therapeutics and an expert in the study of the tumor microenvironment, he is the author of more than 60 scientific publications in the field.

 
The quality and effectiveness of SATT Nord's support were decisive at every stage of our commercialization project: from industrial property management to the search for partners, from strategic choices to the preliminary design of the business plan. Albin JEANNE – CEO

Key milestones/ The history of Apmonia Therapeutics

  • 2019: creation of the startup and signing of the license
  • 2020: Winner of the i-Lab Award
  • 2021: Participation in the1stDeepTech Connect Paris
  • February 2022: €4 million capital fundraising
  • September 2022: Apmonia Therapeutics secures €2.5 million in funding under Bpifrance's "Deep Tech Development Aid" program.

What happens next?

The next steps in Apmonia Therapeutics' development involve entering clinical trials with its flagship product (TAX2 peptide) to demonstrate its efficacy in cancer patients. At the same time, the company is continuing to develop its extracellular matrix targeting platform with the development of new products.

Apmonia Therapeutics News  

  • On October 10, the three co-founders (Albin Jeanne, Stéphane Dedieu, and Abderrahim Lachgar) received the Scale-Up Award for the Northern France region as part of the Entrepreneur of the Year Awards organized by EY.
  • On December 9, Apmonia Therapeutics announced the launch of a research and development program supported by the French National Research Agency (ANR). The THROMBOTAX program, selected as part of the "AAPG 2022 – Biomedical Innovation" call for projects, is based on the creation of an industry-academic consortium, whose objective will be to validate the therapeutic targeting of the TSP-1/CD47 axis in the field of cardiovascular diseases and thrombosis.

www.apmonia-therapeutics.com – LinkedIn @Apmonia Therapeutics

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