Simris Biologics

Simris Biologics has developed and patented a platform through which it is capable of discovering novel cytotoxic payloads from cyanobacteria for use in Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs). An ADC is a "smart bomb" that is designed to kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells and thereby minimise nasty side effects and maximising both quality of life and chances of reaching remission. The Antibody element of the ADC is the targeting mechanism. Its job is to take the cytotoxic Drug to the target cancer cell and once there attach to the cancer cell triggering its uptake into the cell. Once inside the cancer cell, the cytotoxic Drug is released and this kills the cancer cell via a specific mode of action. Cyanobacteria have evolved to survive in every corner of the worlf for over 3.6 billion years. To defend themselves they produce a range of cytotoxic substances from auristatins that power many of the commercially available ADCs to microcystins, which is Simris' lead programme. From our library of 1,200 cyanobacterial producers strains, we have been able to identify which strains produce the most potent and most selective structural analogues of microcystin. Through our unqiue technology platform we are able to feed cyanobacteria modified amino acids which they incorporate into the toxins they produce. This site directed feeding allows us to cytotoxic drugs for ADCs that are tailor made for the chemistry of the antibody and linker there are to be conjugated with. Our approach therefore enables us to produce payloads that herald the next step in the safety or cancer patients undergoing treatment. In a world that has become ever more synthetic it is exciting to be able to provide such effective and safe natural biologics. The natural world holds so many answers to the problems humanity faces. We just need to understand it better and find ways of working with rather than against nature.