Jalon Therapeutics

Jalon Therapeutics aims to develop innovative therapies that inactivate yet untargeted vital tumor signaling pathways. Our mission is to develop medicines that will transform the lives of people fighting cancer. For that purpose, we leverage our deep understanding of stress-related protein-protein interaction networks that sustain the malignant phenotype while not being necessary for normal cells. This mechanism, defined as “non-oncogene addiction” (NOA), offers potential novel, safer and more effective therapeutic strategies. Jalon Therapeutics is rooted in pioneering fundamental research and clinical investigations from INSERM laboratories and Saint-Louis Hospital in Paris. Jalon Therapeutics was cofounded in 2021 by Jean-Luc Poyet, Prof. Martine Bagot, Prof. Hervé Dombret, Jérôme Tiollier, Jean-Christophe Rain and Philippe Salphati. Among the proteins involved in non-oncogene addiction, the scaffold protein AAC-11 (Anti-Apoptosis Clone-11) is a cornerstone component of the signaling networks essential for cancer cell survival, adaptation to stress, resistance to therapies, immune evasion and metastatic potential. Derived from AAC-11, JRT39 is the first-in-class lead candidate developed for the treatment of hard-to-treat cancers. JRT39 properties combine the broad tissue distribution and cell permeability of small molecules with the excellent specificity and target-engagement potency of antibodies, together with unique modes of action. As such, JRT39 stands as breakthrough discovery to treat advanced and refractory cancers, alone or in combination with other treatment modalities. Furthermore, Jalon Therapeutics is building a drug discovery platform to develop other candidates derived from AAC-11 and AAC-11 partners for the treatment of cancer.