MBC BioLabs Announces Recipients of the Golden Ticket Program
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MBC BioLabs announces that Nitrome Biosciences and SyntheX are the recipients of the MBC 2018 Golden Ticket program sponsored by Celgene Corporation. To help advance their scientific programs, each company receives one year of sponsored lab space at MBC BioLabs' premier San Francisco life-sciences incubator, access to state-of-the-art research equipment and services, and connections to Celgene's scientific and business leaders.
"We are thrilled to be selected for this MBC BioLabs Program. MBC BioLabs' facilities and support have been instrumental in facilitating Nitrome's rapid research initiation and progress. This opportunity provides additional momentum to the interest in our approach. Interactions with Celgene scientists will also provide much appreciated input and support," said Irene Griswold-Prenner, CEO/CSO of Nitrome Biosciences.
Nitrome Biosciences is developing drugs against a new class of enzymes, initially targeting Parkinson's disease. The company is discovering and characterizing a novel class of enzymes that have the potential to pave the way to disease-modifying drugs for multiple aging-dependent diseases. While the initial focus is on Parkinson's disease, the platform may be extended to include other neurodegenerative diseases, heart disease and cancer.
"We are very excited to have been selected for this program. As a young startup, any source of support is greatly appreciated and helps move our work forward. This program will provide us with additional resources from MBC BioLabs and insightful guidance from Celgene scientists and drug developers," said Maria Soloveychik, CEO of SyntheX.
SyntheX has developed a synthetic biology-based platform, ToRPPIDO, for the discovery of compounds that can modulate protein-protein interactions (PPIs). By engineering cells to express a PPI of interest and diverse DNA encoded libraries of peptides or macrocycles, SyntheX can quickly and efficiently identify highly specific molecules with properties of interest. ToRPPIDO can be used to find both blocking and bridging compounds to precisely regulate protein functions. The company is initially focusing on oncology, and is working towards progressing its lead program, STX100, towards an IND for solid tumors. SyntheX has initiated 3 other programs in the oncology space that are currently in the discovery stage.
About MBC BioLabs
MBC BioLabs is dedicated to helping life-science startups succeed. By renting space as small as a single bench and providing these entrepreneurial scientists with access to millions of dollars of equipment, we allow companies to be fast, focused, and frugal. We now have two sites: one in the Dogpatch neighborhood in San Francisco and a new campus in San Carlos. Each site has a complete molecular biology core facility that allows companies to do experiments on day one, not year one. We also have partnerships with AbbVie, Amgen, Celgene, Clorox, GE, GSK, J&J/JLABS, Nitto, Toray, and Tosoh, and a built-in VC, Mission Bay Capital. This access provides our entrepreneurs with valuable insights about where to focus their efforts and speeds the pipeline of innovation for our partners. These labs have truly enabled awesome: since our opening in 2013 we have helped launch 125 companies, and these companies have gone on to raise $3B!
For more information, visit www.MBCBioLabs.com.
MBC BioLabs
Linda Eng
415-347-8287
[email protected]
SOURCE MBC BioLabs
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