DUB

Project will be a demonstration of how Ubiquigent’s DUB-centric platform can support the development of DUB inhibitors all the way from discovery through to clinical development. DUNDEE, Scotland & LAUSANNE, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ubiquigent Limited (Ubiquigent), a drug discovery and development company harnessing novel deubiquitinase (DUB) modulators as new therapeutics for areas of high unmet medical need, today announced an agreement with Debiopharm, a biopharmaceutical company aiming to develop tomorrow’s standard-of-care treatments to cure cancer and infectious diseases. The agreement will support the development of Debiopharm’s USP1 inhibitor programme, Debio 0432. Under the terms of the agreement, Ubiquigent will deploy its DUB-focused platform, combined with its deep understanding of the DUB field, to develop novel target engagement assays to support Debio-0432 as it approaches the clinic. Currently, in late-stage preclinical development, Debio 0432 is a small molecule with best-in-class potential that could be deployed to combat multiple tumour types. Through its potent and selective inhibition of USP1, a critical player in the DNA damage repair (DDR) pathway, Debio 0432 has the potential to induce synthetic lethality in tumour types with underlying defects of DNA repair genes. “We are delighted to enter this agreement with Debiopharm, supporting the development of its advanced USP1 inhibitor programme. Following our successful collaborations with other clinical stage companies, this latest agreement further demonstrates the capability of Ubiquigent’s platform to address all aspects of DUB drug discovery and development, encompassing target validation, hit-to-lead, candidate selection, translational research, and the development of assays to support clinical evaluation.” Jason Mundin, CEO of Ubiquigent, said: “With multiple assets now reaching clinical stage, we look forward to seeing the continued progression and expansion of the DUB field over the coming years as more companies enter the space and new therapeutics enter the clinic.” Bertrand Ducrey, CEO, Debiopharm, commented: “Ubiquigent’s specialised drug discovery platform is uniquely positioned to support our USP1 inhibitor programme as it approaches the clinic, enabling the development of novel target engagement assays. Selective inhibition of USP1 to interrupt DNA damage repair pathway is an exciting approach to cancer treatment.” To learn more about Ubiquigent’s platform for DUB-focused drug discovery, visit: View source version on businesswire.com: Contacts Esmé Walters Zyme Communications E-mail: esme.walters@zymecommunications.com Phone: +44 (0) 7377 543244 Source: Ubiquigent View this news release online at:

Mission Therapeutics’ strategy of boosting a natural cellular recycling process, called mitophagy, to treat neurodegenerative and mitochondria-related diseases has attracted £25.2 million ($32.1 million) in fresh funding. The biotech, which also boasts a pair of pharma partnerships, is focused on developing small molecule inhibitors of de-ubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) – the brakes on the garbage disposal system.  Since its founding in 2011, Mission has raised a total of £117 million. Thursday’s series D financing was jointly led by a syndicate of existing investors, including Pfizer Venture Investments. The pharma giant’s first investment in Mission was over a decade ago, and in 2020, Pfizer led a £12 million financing and also staked a claim on its DUB platform. Under the deal, Pfizer has the option to negotiate target exclusivity for certain, prespecified DUB inhibitors. The Cambridge-based biotech also has a 2018 tie-up with AbbVie for two DUB programmes to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Other backers of the round include Sofinnova Partners, Roche Venture Fund, SR One, IP Group, and Rosetta Capital.DUB developmentWhile DUBs’ role in mitophagy-associated diseases is well established, they have been historically difficult to selectively and specifically target with small molecules, as they comprise a large family of proteins. Mission’s lead candidate, MTX652, is in Phase II testing for acute kidney injury (AKI) associated with cardiac surgery. Thursday’s round will help progress the company’s second candidate, MTX325, which has been cleared to start a Phase I trial for Parkinson’s disease (PD) in the UK. Both programmes target USP30, a key DUB in the regulation of mitophagy. According to Mission, USP30 inhibition can promote the degradation of disease-associated proteins and impaired mitochondria, potentially improving cellular health and longevity. If cells don’t routinely recycle their mitochondria, an accumulation of the dysfunctional organelles can lead to cellular degeneration, particularly of neurons. Mitochondrial dysfunction is a key driver of PD mechanisms, Mission CEO Anker Lundemose told FirstWord. Inhibiting USP30 to promote mitophagy is “likely to have a positive impact on dopaminergic neurons undergoing chronic degenerative processes, as such degeneration results in functional impairment,” Lundermose added.Mission has shown that, in a mouse model of PD, USP30 inhibition can help protect against loss of dopamine and dopaminergic neurons induced by alpha-synuclein.

Agreement leverages Ubiquigent’s DUB-focused drug discovery platform to support the development of novel therapeutic candidates for multiple disease targets selected by Nanna Therapeutics DUNDEE, Scotland--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ubiquigent Limited (Ubiquigent), a drug discovery and development company harnessing novel deubiquitinase (DUB) modulators as new therapeutics for areas of high unmet medical need, today announced an agreement with Nanna Therapeutics (Nanna). Under the terms of the agreement, Ubiquigent will provide Nanna with access to its deubiquitylase (DUB) focused drug discovery platform to support the development of novel therapeutics for human disease targets selected by Nanna. The DUB enzymes regulate ubiquitination in the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). Dysregulation of DUB activity is implicated in many human diseases, highlighting their importance and promise for the development of novel therapeutics. Ubiquigent is the partner chosen by many leading industry and academic organisations for their drug discovery programmes in the fields of protein degradation, stabilisation and cellular signalling. Ubiquigent has an established specialised drug discovery platform and long-standing expertise in the exploitation of the DUBs for therapeutic benefit. The platform can be applied to support the development of DUB inhibitors, DUB-targeting PROTACs, and DUBTACs across any therapeutic area. Jason Mundin, CEO of Ubiquigent, commented: “We are delighted to enter this latest agreement and look forward to supporting the team at Nanna Therapeutics. Our platform was established to support those seeking to modulate DUB activity for therapeutic benefit and has been used by a long list of global partners which we are very pleased to add Nanna Therapeutics to.” To learn more about Ubiquigent’s discovery and development platform, please visit . View source version on businesswire.com: Contacts Esmé Walters Zyme Communications E-mail: esme.walters@zymecommunications.com Phone: +44 (0) 7377 543244 Source: Ubiquigent View this news release online at: