Centrose
Company Background
Centrose is a biotechnology company formed in 2006 and is focused on developing a novel antibody-drug conjugation (ADC) technology that targets a wide variety of diseased cells. Centrose discovered the first-ever synergistic drug targeting system called the Extracellular Drug Conjugate System (EDC).
Centrose has 10 employees and projects to grow to 25 staff.
Technology Overview
Centrose is a preclinical stage company developing a novel ADC technology that targets a wide variety of diseased cells. Centrose discovered the first-ever synergistic drug targeting system called the EDC System. EDCs are like (ADCs), but are safer and more effective because they are not pro-drugs and only affect diseased cells. To modulate cell growth and activity, EDCs use antibodies (specific to diseased cells) attached to Centrose’s proprietary modulating drugs to work in concert together – the two must be attached to work. Currently, Centrose has four EDC lead drug candidates. As a platform, the EDC system allows for the construction and development of targeted drugs that can be developed for multiple indications including cancer, inflammation, and diabetes.
Market Potential
Currently, Centrose has four lead programs that it anticipates moving into clinical trials in the next 24 months. The company’s lead program, EDC1, is focused on the lung and metastatic cancer markets; specifically non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and pancreatic cancer.
Competitive Advantage
There are limitations with regards to traditional antibody drug conjugates technologies:
- First, ADC cell internalization is inefficient and requires the use of very toxic drugs;
- Second, to become activated, the drugs must be released from the antibody;
- Third, once released, the drugs can interact with normal surrounding tissue leading to toxicity concerns.
In combination, these requirements present formidable design challenges and seriously limit the power of traditional antibody drug conjugates.
To address these problems, Centrose discovered and developed a revolutionary new type of ADC, called EDC. The Centrose EDC system is composed of three parts: a binding component that specifically targets diseased cells, a proprietary drug, and a linker that connects them. This is similar to the ADC system except that the EDC never requires drug dissociation or cell internalization, negating the three major problems of the ADC system.
Financial Overview
Centrose has raised $3.5 million from individuals and $1.5 million from government grants. The company is currently looking to raise $20 million under a Series A round to move Centrose’s lead compound into and through Phase I clinical trials.
Intellectual Property
Centrose technology is the sole property of Centrose. Centrose has applied for multiple U.S. and worldwide patents covering EDC technology. Centrose also has the freedom-to-operate in the space.
Commercialization Strategy
Centrose’s business strategy is focused on producing the next generation of targeted therapies and to out-license these assets to select pharmaceutical companies. Strategic partnering is therefore critical to advance Centrose's novel therapeutics programs into clinical development and then to the market.
Pipeline Products
In addition to EDC1, Centrose has four other EDC programs:
EDC2
The antibody target is CD147 and is highly expressed on cancer cells where it facilitates invasion and metastasis. CD147 is also a biomarker for wide range of cancers. As proof of efficacy, Centrose has tested EDC2 and with gemcitabine on pancreatic cell line and demonstrated that EDC2 shows picomolar activity on PANC1 cell line verses gemcitabine, which demonstrated only micromolar activity. Gemcitabine is approved for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
EDC3
The antibody target is CD44v6 and is associated with tumor progression, metastasis, and specifically with NSCLC lymph node metastasis. Centrose studies show Na,K-ATPase-and CD44v6 complexes on certain cancer cells, yet EDC3 is not toxic to human skin cells in culture (warhead target is low on normal skin).
EDC7
The antibody target for EDC7 is CD56 (aka NCAM-Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule). The mAB target, CD56, is also the target of ImmunoGen’s lead internal program: IMGN-901. CD56 is highly expressed on the following human tumors SCLC, multiple myeloma, ovarian, and other related indications such as leukemia and Wilms’ Tumor. Studies show Na,K-ATPase-and NCAM, form a complex on SCLC cells. EDC7 demonstrated low picomolar level activity when cancer cells express CD56; thus EDC7 may be an excellent candidate for SCLC.
Management Team
Dr. James Prudent is the CEO and founder of Centrose and brings more than 20 years of biotechnology. Before Centrose, Dr. Prudent served as Chief Scientific Officer and on the Board of Directors at EraGen Biosciences (sold to Luminex). Dr. Prudent received his doctorate in chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley.
Steve Worsley is the Chief Business Officer and brings 25 years in the biotechnology industry to Centrose. Mr. Worsley has executed numerous transactions in the mAB market; most notably with the companies Abgenix and Raven Biotechnologies. Mr. Worsley out-licensed Vectibix®, the first fully human mAB specific to the EGFr (HER1). He received his MBA from the University of Washington.
The technical staff at Centrose includes two managers, Dave Marshall, Director of EDC Technologies,and Dr. Mohammed Shekhani, Director of Chemistry, who manage the biotechnology and chemistry groups respectively.
The technical group is provided consultation by Dr. Homer Pearce who developed gemcitabine (Gemzar) and has numerous years of experience in oncology while at Eli Lilly and numerous other technical advisors.
