Empowering Phosphatase Drug Discovery
Nerio is building a new generation of therapeutics targeting protein phosphatases for immunotherapy
Empowering Phosphatase Drug Discovery
Nerio is building a new generation of therapeutics targeting protein phosphatases for immunotherapy
About
Hundreds of protein phosphatases have yet to be targeted with small molecules, offering a rich opportunity to discover novel therapeutics.
Protein phosphatases constitute a large family of signaling enzymes that operate primarily through a mechanism of substrate-selective dephosphorylation. By contrast, kinases phosphorylate proteins. Together, these posttranslational mechanisms work in concert to tune cellular regulatory networks.
While kinases have garnered considerable success as drug targets with over 70 approvals, successful phosphatase programs have remained elusive due to challenges associated with the inability to selectively target the catalytic domain of these enzymes. Historically, most small molecule phosphatase inhibitors that have been identified suffer from lack of bioavailability, cell penetration and poor phosphatase selectivity. However, recent advances in the field have shown that successful phosphatase inhibitor development can be achieved.
Nerio is focused on identifying highly selective, competitive inhibitors and pioneering the discovery of allosteric and uncompetitive phosphatase modulators.
Approximately 200 protein phosphatases are encoded in the human genome which are largely untapped as therapeutic targets. Nerio is pursuing the potential for therapeutic intervention with selective, cell-permeable, bioavailable, and efficacious small molecule phosphatase modulators.
About
Hundreds of protein phosphatases have yet to be targeted with small molecules, offering a rich opportunity to discover novel therapeutics.
Protein phosphatases constitute a large family of signaling enzymes that operate primarily through a mechanism of substrate-selective dephosphorylation. By contrast, kinases phosphorylate proteins. Together, these posttranslational mechanisms work in concert to tune cellular regulatory networks.
While kinases have garnered considerable success as drug targets with over 70 approvals, successful phosphatase programs have remained elusive due to challenges associated with the inability to selectively target the catalytic domain of these enzymes. Historically, most small molecule phosphatase inhibitors that have been identified suffer from lack of bioavailability, cell penetration and poor phosphatase selectivity. However, recent advances in the field have shown that successful phosphatase inhibitor development can be achieved.
Nerio is focused on identifying highly selective, competitive inhibitors and pioneering the discovery of allosteric and uncompetitive phosphatase modulators.
Approximately 200 protein phosphatases are encoded in the human genome which are largely untapped as therapeutic targets. Nerio is pursuing the potential for therapeutic intervention with selective, cell-permeable, bioavailable, and efficacious small molecule phosphatase modulators.
Science
Nerio’s proprietary technology platform has unlocked new approaches to successfully target high-value protein phosphatase targets previously considered to be undruggable.
Nerio is leveraging our deep expertise in protein phosphatases, proprietary high-throughput screening technologies and structure guided chemistry approaches to develop novel phosphatase modulators with high therapeutic value for immuno-oncology applications.
Structure-guided chemistry
Nerio has generated proprietary crystal structures for our lead program which have enabled the design and synthesis of novel, potent and highly selective phosphatase modulators with favorable drug-like properties.
High-Throughput Screening Technologies
Nerio has utilized our extensive in-house HTS expertise to develop new biochemical and cell-based screening assay technologies that enable the identification of protein phosphatase modulators with new mechanisms of action.
Science
Nerio’s proprietary technology platform has unlocked new approaches to successfully target high-value protein phosphatase targets previously considered to be undruggable.
Nerio is leveraging our deep expertise in protein phosphatases, proprietary high-throughput screening technologies and structure guided chemistry approaches to develop novel phosphatase modulators with high therapeutic value for immuno-oncology applications.
Structure-guided chemistry
Nerio has generated proprietary crystal structures for our lead program which have enabled the design and synthesis of novel, potent and highly selective phosphatase modulators with favorable drug-like properties.
High-Throughput Screening Technologies
Nerio has utilized our extensive in-house HTS expertise to develop new biochemical and cell-based screening assay technologies that enable the identification of protein phosphatase modulators with new mechanisms of action.
Team
Nerio is led by an experienced biopharmaceutical team with deep scientific expertise.
Sanford (Sandy) Madigan, Ph.D.
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Sergio Duron, Ph.D.
Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer
Eben Massari, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President of Biology
Jason Roland, Ph.D.
Co-Founder and Vice President of Chemistry
Jay B. Lichter, Ph.D.
Board Member
Tighe M. Reardon, CPA
Board Member
Stefan Heller, Ph.D.
Board Member
Nunzio Bottini, MD, Ph.D
Academic Founder and Advisor
Stephanie Stanford, Ph.D
Advisor
Sanford (Sandy) Madigan, Ph.D.
Board Member
