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NEX-I focuses on overcoming the limitations of standard cancer treatments by targeting the underlying causes of refractory cancers. Credit: AshTproductions / Shutterstock.com. Ono Pharmaceutical has signed an exclusive licence agreement for the development and marketing of NEX-I’s new cancer therapy, NXI-101. An antibody drug candidate, NXI-101 targets the cancer immunotherapy-resistant factor ONCOKINE-1. The target was discovered through NEX-I leveraging its target screening ONCOKINE platform. It has potential efficacy against a range of cancer types, including those resistant to current cancer immunotherapies. Ono will gain exclusive global rights to NXI-101 and its backup antibodies. See Also: MorphoSys files patent for antibodies for treating inflammatory, autoimmune diseases, or cancer Kura Oncology files patent for combination treatment for head and neck cancer NEX-I is eligible to receive upfront payment, development and commercialisation milestone payments, apart from tiered royalty payments based on net product sales. Ono Pharmaceutical discovery and research senior executive officer and executive director Toichi Takino stated: “We are pleased to collaborate with NEX-I having a proprietary ONCOKINE platform for development and commercialisation of NXI-101. We expect NXI-101 to be a new treatment option for cancer patients. “Leveraging Ono’s experience and expertise in cancer immunotherapy, we will work on the development of the compound to add it to our development pipeline in oncology.” A Korean biotechnology company established in 2021, NEX-I focuses on overcoming the limitations of standard cancer treatments by targeting the underlying causes of refractory cancers. NEX-I CEO Kyoung Wan Yoon stated: “This collaboration aligns with NEX-I’s strategic focus on novel target discovery and the advancement of our flagship tumour microenvironment modulator, NXI-101. “Through this landmark partnership, we underscore our commitment to identifying and developing novel and differentiated therapies that promise substantial benefits for patients. “Our alliance with Ono represents a significant step forward for our ONCOKINE platform to assemble a diverse portfolio of clinical candidates across a broad range of mechanisms and therapeutic targets.” The latest development comes after Ono entered a collaboration with Epsilon Molecular Engineering (EME) to advance drug discovery in the variable heavy domain of heavy chain antibodies. The collaboration will utilise EME’s humanised VHH [the variable domain of heavy-chain IgG2 and IgG3] screening platform, known as The Month, to generate new antibodies for targets selected by Ono.

Boston, MA – Xsphera Biosciences, a leading biotechnology company specializing in ex vivo testing of oncology therapeutics on patient-excised tumor tissue, is pleased to announce the formalization of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with NEX-I, a Seoul-based pioneer in immune-oncology therapeutics. This partnership represents a significant step forward in oncology drug research and development. At the heart of this partnership lies Xsphera's innovative technology, exclusively licensed from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Xsphera’s technology maintains each patient’s tumor microenvironment in an ex vivo platform directly from a fresh excisional tumor biopsy. Over the past year, Xsphera has played a pivotal role in advancing NEX-I’s pipeline by assessing the performance of NEX-I mono and combination therapies on patient tumor samples. Additionally, the companies have leveraged Xsphera’s cloud analytics platform to jointly explore molecular pathways modulated by the multiple therapeutic treatments, aiming to comprehend the mechanisms of action and resistance for each treatment across a diverse set of patient samples. NEX-I is advancing the development of 'NXI-101', a notable first-in-class antibody drug targeting 'ONCOKINE-1', a factor produced by cancer cells that contributes to the resistance of cancer cells to cancer immunotherapy. With treatments like NXI-101 designed to counter these resistance factors, NEXI aims to bolster the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. Furthermore, NEX-I is diligently working to expedite its entry into global clinical markets. Stephen Remondi, CEO of Xsphera Biosciences, remarked, "This MOU underscores our shared commitment to deepen our collaboration. We are excited to further our understanding of immune modulation in response to NEX-I therapeutics as well as to discover new therapeutic targets in oncology that is enabled by comparing the modulated responses of different therapeutics on tumor tissue from the same patient. " Importantly, this partnership is set to deliver tangible benefits to cancer patients by tailoring treatments to their unique biological responses, thereby improving treatment outcomes and personalizing the battle against cancer." CEO, Kyoung Wan Yoon, stated, “NXI-101 is on the verge of entering clinical trials next year. On top of our animal data, validating the efficacy and mechanism of NXI-101 through our collaborative research with Xsphera increases our likelihood of clinical success, and will deliver real-world value to patients. Furthermore, through this research collaboration, we aim to verify the possibility of developing companion diagnostic biomarkers for the NXI-101 treatment and accelerate the pace of technological and business growth globally." About Xsphera Biosciences: Xsphera Biosciences is a biotechnology company dedicated to bridging the translational gap between animal models and human clinical trials for oncology therapeutics. Through collaboration with Dana-Farber, Xsphera has developed a revolutionary fresh human tumor tissue-based platform that enables the assessment of therapeutic efficacy across various cancer indications and drug modalities. Integrating this ex vivo biology capability with its AI-powered cloud analytics platform, Xsphera can reveal the underlying mechanisms of action and resistance in the tumor microenvironment, providing invaluable insights into human biology and clinical trial strategy. For more information, please visit the Xsphera website at . About NEX-I: NEX-I is breaking ground in the fight against cancer with its next-generation therapies targeting immunotherapy-resistant cancers. Leveraging its proprietary platform, NEX-I has developed robust models for immunotherapy-refractory cancers to analyze their characteristics and identify novel therapeutic targets comprehensively. This unique and dedicated research has led to the discovery of a series of soluble targets, ONCOKINE, which highly expresses and plays a critical role in refractory cellular mechanisms through the proprietary screening platform. NEX-I proposes a new standardized solution to inhibit cancer cell growth and metastasis by suppressing them. Learn more at . A copy of the White Paper describing NXI-101 and the results from Xsphera platform can be found here: For further information, please contact: Xsphera Biosciences Inc. Kazuhito Ishikawa Vice President, Sales and Business development kazu@xspherabio.com

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--( BUSINESS WIRE )-- Science2Startup (S2S) ™ , an invitation-only symposium presented by Atlas Venture , F-Prime Capital , Osage University Partners , RA Capital Management , 5AM Ventures and Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MassBio) that aims to strengthen connections between therapeutics researchers at the world’s top academic research institutions and biotech investors, will be held May 3, 2023 at the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts. S2S is returning for the first time since 2019, with a focus on bringing academic innovations in the therapeutics space to the attention of the thriving Boston-based venture capital ecosystem. This year’s S2S is led and organized by Kevin Bitterman, Ph.D., Partner at Atlas Venture; Jessica Alston, Ph.D., Partner at F-Prime Capital; Matt Cohen, Ph.D., Managing Partner at Osage University Partners; Joshua Resnick, M.D., Managing Director at RA Capital Management; and Jamil Beg, Partner at 5AM Ventures. The keynote address will be delivered by Sangeeta Bhatia, John J. and Dorothy Wilson Professor at MIT’s Institute for Medical Engineering and Science and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The ten selected presenters will showcase their discoveries as well as their projected development path toward clinical proof-of-concept. Mentorship for the selected presenters, from experts across multiple disciplines, is facilitated by MassBio. S2S is generously sponsored by Deloitte , Evotec , Goodwin , Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) , USQ , and Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) . Senior representatives from each sponsor will share their respective expertise with S2S presenters in closed-door workshops prior to the Symposium. “The S2S class of 2023 brings together an impressive group of scientists from some of the world’s top research institutions,” said Dr. Bitterman. “We’re excited to bring back this forum to provide exposure, guidance and mentorship for scientists beginning the often-challenging process of company formation, with the shared goal of increasing the odds of success as they begin the journey of translating their novel ideas into meaningful advances for patients.” “We are thrilled for S2S to return for the third year, especially following the COVID-induced hiatus,” said Dr. Alston. “Our goal is to foster collaboration among Boston’s established biotech ecosystem of investors, mentors and scientists, while also infusing the space with new ideas from entrepreneurs at leading academic institutions, all in service of advancing novel science for the benefit of patients.” Attendees at the event will include senior biopharma executives, life science-focused investors and biotech entrepreneurs. In addition to the presentations, S2S will provide substantial opportunities for networking among the presenters and attendees. “Research universities are at the forefront of pioneering innovative and novel concepts for treating human illness,” said Dr. Cohen. “S2S aims to support academic founders to increase the chance of success for those who may never have been involved in the startup world before.” “S2S aims to bring the best of what Boston has to offer to researchers from around the world,” said Dr. Resnick. “By pairing top scientists with industry mentors who can support them, we aim to both infuse the biotech economy with new ideas while also accelerating the process of therapeutic development. We are delighted to continue to support this event and look forward to seeing what this year’s S2S participants accomplish in the future.” “We are thrilled to be joining S2S this year to work with our peers in the Boston area to connect with a new generation of startups,” said Beg. “The group of scientists slated to present demonstrates a great deal of promise and we’re excited to aid in the advancement of new scientific discoveries.” This year’s ten scientific presenters were selected by an advisory group comprised of experienced biotech investors. S2S received over 125 submissions from 61 institutions across eight countries. The selected presenters are enrolled in a mentorship program led by MassBio, where they will receive one-on-one mentorship from advisory group members and other industry participants, as well as feedback on their scientific translation and drug development plans. S2S’s class of 2023 includes: Sarki Abdulkadir, M.D., Ph.D. , Co-Founder of Vortex Therapeutics, Professor of Urology and Pathology, Northwestern University. Small molecule MYC inhibitors leveraging unique insights into MYC structure and function. Thomas H. Barker, Ph.D. , Co-Founder and CSO, Vasarya Therapeutics; Professor, University of Virginia. Developing targeted treatments for fibrotic disorders. Jonathan Bernardini, Ph.D. , Postdoctoral Researcher, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia. BioTACs as a next generation cell surface degrader approach. Jacqueline Burke, Ph.D. , Senior Scientist, DuPage Medical Technology, Inc.; Research Assistant Professor, University of Illinois Chicago. Novel peptide that selectively inhibits platelet and leukocyte activation and high-loading peptide nanoparticles enabling in vivo delivery for the treatment of thrombo-inflammation and ischemia-reperfusion injury. Ken Fujise, M.D. , Professor and the Harold T. Dodge-John L. Locke Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Washington. Fortilin, a macrophage (MФ) survival molecule, as a new and viable molecular target of atherosclerosis. Paraskevi (Evi) Giannakakou, Ph.D. , Professor of Pharmacology in Medicine and Associate Director of Education at the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine. First-in-class small molecule inhibitor of androgen receptor splice variant 7, for the treatment of drug-resistant prostate cancer. Peng Ji, M.D., Ph.D. , Professor of Pathology, Northwestern University. Novel small molecule compounds targeting Pleckstrin-2, a newly discovered protein critical for the pathogenesis of myeloproliferative neoplasms. Kirill Martemyanov, Ph.D. , Co-founder, EvoDenovo; Professor and Chair, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology. New strategies for improving safety of opioid drugs and combating opioid use disorder based on innovative discovery of novel drug targets. James H. Morrissey, Ph.D. , Professor, University of Michigan Medical School . Novel platform for the reversal of all types of heparin in current clinical use. James Shayman, M.D. , Professor of Internal Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School. Next generation inhibitors of glucosylceramide synthase for the treatment of neuronopathic and non-neuronopathic glycosphingolipid storage disorders. For a list of S2S’s 2023 advisors, please visit www.science2startup.com . About Atlas Venture Atlas Venture is a leading biotech venture capital firm. With the goal of doing well by doing good, we have been building breakthrough biotech startups for over 25 years. We work side by side with exceptional scientists and entrepreneurs to translate high impact science into medicines for patients. Our seed-led venture creation strategy rigorously selects and focuses investment on the most compelling opportunities to build scalable businesses and realize value. For more information, please visit www.atlasventure.com . About F-Prime Capital F-Prime Capital is a global venture capital firm investing in healthcare and technology. For the past 50 years, our venture capital group has had the privilege of backing great entrepreneurs building ground-breaking companies. With over $3 billion dollars under management and a global portfolio of more than 200 companies, we champion those dedicated to creating positive change in the world. In healthcare, we focus on therapeutics, medtech and health IT & services in a stage-agnostic fashion. Our healthcare fund has created or co-created 29 companies including Denali, Beam, Innovent, Orchard and Sana and has helped build many others including Blueprint Medicines, Iora Health, PatientPing, Devoted and Ultragenyx. F-Prime portfolio companies have seen more than 32 products and drugs approved by regulatory agencies worldwide. Our team of investors, engineers, doctors and scientists is committed to bringing the insight, domain expertise and relationships required to help our companies make a transformational impact. For more information, please visit www.fprimecapital.com . About Osage University Partners Osage University Partners (OUP) is a venture capital firm focused on investing in startups that are commercializing pioneering university technologies. OUP partners with top research universities to invest in their most innovative startups, and OUP shares its investment profit with its partner institutions. The firm invests in software, hardware, climate tech, and life science companies at all stages of company development. Since 2009, OUP has partnered with over 100 universities, including 27 of the top 30 U.S. institutions by research expenditures, and has invested in over 130 of their spinouts. For more information, visit oup.vc . About RA Capital Management RA Capital Management is a multi-stage investment manager dedicated to evidence-based investing in public and private healthcare and life science companies that are developing drugs, medical devices, and diagnostics. The flexibility of its strategy allows RA Capital to provide seed funding to startups and to lead private, IPO, and follow-on financings for its portfolio companies, both facilitating the crossover process and allowing management teams to drive value creation with fewer capital concerns from inception through commercialization. For more information, please visit www.racap.com . About 5AM Ventures Founded in 2002, 5AM Ventures is a leading venture capital firm focused on building next-generation life science companies. Based in San Francisco and Boston, 5AM takes a hands-on approach to investing and company building, often going beyond traditional board roles to leverage our diverse team of scientists, clinicians, drug developers and executives throughout a company’s life. With over $2.2 billion raised since inception, 5AM has invested globally in over 100 public and private companies. For more information, please visit www.5amventures.com . About MassBio MassBio’s mission is to advance Massachusetts’ leadership in the life sciences to grow the industry, add value to the healthcare system, and improve patient lives. MassBio represents the premier global life sciences and healthcare hub, with 1,600+ members dedicated to preventing, treating, and curing diseases through transformative science and technology that brings value and hope to patients. Founded in 1985, MassBio works to advance policy and promote education, while providing member programs, events, industry information, and services. For more information, visit www.massbio.org .