Oncospherix

OncoSpherix, Inc, based in Atlanta, Ga, is a pre-clinical stage oncology drug development company that is advancing a proprietary platform of first-in-class small molecule therapeutics that are designed to improve the quality of life and survival for people with many forms of cancer by targeting a common feature of solid tumors: the activation of hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1). Nearly all solid cancers grow faster than their blood supply, leading to regions of low oxygen in the tumors and HIF activation. The HIFs in turn induce the expression of over 100 genes that help tumor cells survive and spread. OncoSpherix has several classes of small molecules that block activation of HIF-1 through novel mechanisms. OncoSpherix’s lead clinical candiate has been shown in mouse models to reduce primary tumor growth, inhibit metastases, and prolong survival in many types of cancer (glioblastoma, pancreatic cancer, uveal melanoma, lung cancer, breast cancer). Importantly, the agents are well tolerated and can be combined with therapeutics that work in well oxygenated regions of cancers, leading to dramatically enhanced cancer control.