ThirtyFiveBio Receives Innovate UK Grant for GPR35 Inhibitor Program Targeting Ulcerative Colitis

ThirtyFiveBio Limited, a UK-based biotechnology firm, has secured a prestigious Biomedical Catalyst (BMC) grant from Innovate UK. This grant, worth £643,371 (approximately $817,000), will support preclinical research focused on precision medicine for gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, particularly ulcerative colitis. This marks the second BMC grant the company has received within a year, underscoring the significance of its pioneering work on G protein-coupled receptor 35 (GPR35) inhibition.

Partnering with Dr. Nicole Kaneider from the University of Cambridge, ThirtyFiveBio aims to identify patient subsets likely to respond to GPR35 inhibitors based on their genetic profiles. Utilizing bioinformatics and multi-omics, the team will analyze clinical datasets and cross-reference them with preclinical data. This approach will help pinpoint genetic signatures indicative of GPR35 inhibitor responsiveness. The validation of these signatures in further preclinical studies will provide crucial biomarkers to guide patient selection in upcoming clinical trials.

James Westcott, Ph.D., CEO of ThirtyFiveBio, emphasized the validation this grant provides for the company's research endeavors. He noted that the increasing understanding of GPR35's role in inflammatory GI diseases has led the company to prioritize conditions like ulcerative colitis. Collaborating with Dr. Kaneider, who has extensive expertise in GPR35's biological functions in GI diseases, the company aims to advance its GPR35 inhibitor program towards clinical trials and bolster ongoing fundraising activities.

The scientific community has already validated GPR35's role in GI diseases, presenting a novel approach to treatment by targeting underlying epithelial and myeloid cell dysfunctions rather than directly addressing inflammation. While most existing drug development efforts have focused on enhancing GPR35 activity through agonists, emerging scientific evidence, including significant contributions from ThirtyFiveBio, suggests that inhibiting GPR35 may offer a more suitable therapeutic approach. This hypothesis is supported by recent discoveries indicating that GPR35 antagonism could effectively block undesirable GPR35 signaling pathways.

ThirtyFiveBio's focus on GPR35 inhibition is reinforced by extensive preclinical data linking GPR35 mutations to GI diseases. Research has demonstrated that GPR35 variants are associated with inflammatory bowel disease, and that its expression is heightened in GI cancers. Moreover, pathogenic mutations in GPR35 have been shown to increase its expression and function. Studies have further revealed that commonly dysregulated genes in GI cancers can be normalized by deactivating GPR35 in cancer cells. These findings collectively underscore the potential of GPR35 inhibition as a therapeutic strategy for various GI diseases.

ThirtyFiveBio, founded by M:M Bio and Canaan Partners, has raised $20 million in seed financing. The company operates out of the Innovation Centre on Milton Park, a prominent science hub south of Oxford, UK. It has established itself as a leader in the biology of GPR35, leveraging a comprehensive drug discovery platform to identify numerous unique families of first-in-class small molecule GPR35 inhibitors, which are currently undergoing lead optimization.

Innovate UK, the funding body behind the BMC grant, is dedicated to driving productivity and economic growth by supporting innovative business ventures. Through collaborations and funding, Innovate UK aims to accelerate research and development, helping businesses across various sectors realize their potential.