RAHWAY, NJ — Modifi Biosciences Inc., a leader in the development of direct DNA modification enabled cancer therapeutics, has been recently acquired by Merck and Co. Inc.
Modifi Biosciences, a Yale University spinout company formed in 2021, has developed a novel class of small molecules that target cancer cells lacking express of a key DNA repair protein called O⁶-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase. Modifi Biosciences’ research has been validated through its initial work published by the academic founders in Science in 2022, and subsequent compelling pre-clinical data across a number of tumor models, including patient-derived xenograft models of gliomas and other cancers with intrinsic DNA repair defects.
According to the terms of the agreement, Merck, through a subsidiary, has acquired all outstanding shares of Modifi Biosciences for $30 million upfront. Modifi Biosciences shareholders are also eligible to receive potential milestone payments totaling up to $1.3 billion.
Dr. Ranjit S. Bindra is one of the co-founders of Modifi Biosciences; Harvey and Kate Cushing professor of Therapeutic Radiology at Yale School of Medicine; and scientific director of the Yale Brain Tumor Center at Smilow Cancer Hospital. He explained the process simply.
“The best way to think about it,” he said, is “we know every cell in the body will modify its own DNA. We realize we can engineer molecules to modify DNA. We can then force the DNA to have modifications from the molecules. We can put things on the DNA and the cancer cell will need to remove those modifications. Certain cancer cells can’t remove the modifications. It’s a novel discovery.”
Bindra continued to explain that the molecules developed at the Yale lab took the company to the next level, making the drug ready to give to cancer patients.
“We’ll be in the clinic in about a year, with Merck taking the lead,” he said. “Three times faster than would be expected. Merck is a very science-focused company. Their bar is quite high for what they’ll focus on. This still has a year to go before it gets to the clinic. There’s a lot of risk. It has to be an interesting science for them to come this early. Merck has the expertise to really bring something to the clinic. They make blockbuster cancer drugs. They have the expertise to make this into a real drug.”
This is great news for cancer patients.
Bindra said, “It means, in a year or so, there’s going to be a treatment option for patients that wouldn’t have access to this, a whole new way to treat cancer. It’s a great story. Bench to bedside at its finest.”
To learn more about Modifi Biosciences, visit: https://modifibio.com/.
Photo Courtesy of Dr. Ranjit S. Bindra