Mission Therapeutics to Attend and Present at Conferences in June and July 2016

CAMBRIDGE, UK – 3 June 2016MISSION Therapeutics, a drug discovery and development company focused on selectively targeting deubiquitylating enzymes to treat cancer, neurodegenerative and other diseases, today announced that the company is scheduled to attend the following events:

(1) American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, 3–7 June 2016, McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Michael Koslowski, Chief Medical Officer, and Anker Lundemose, Chief Executive Officer, to attend conference

ASCO is one of the key global conferences in the Oncology space, bringing together 35,000 oncology professionals from around the world. The event has both educational and scientific sessions to address new therapies, treatment modalities, research and ongoing controversies in the field. Over 3,000 abstracts are submitted internationally from over 80 countries.

 

(2) Ubiquitin & Autophagy Conference, 4–7 July 2016, Goethe University Hospital, Frankfurt, Germany

The inaugural conference brings together leading experts in the field of quality control in cells, with a focus on ubiquitin and autophagy and will feature over 40 renowned speakers at the event.

 

(3) European Association for Cancer Research Conference (EACR), 9–12 July 2016, Manchester Central Convention Complex, Manchester, UK

The EACR is one of Europe’s largest dedicated conference on basic and translational research. This year’s theme is: ‘From Basic Research to Precision Medicine’ and will feature world class speakers from around the world covering the most innovative research topics in the fields of diagnostic tools and cancer treatment.

 

For further events, please visit the MISSION Therapeutics website. 

 

For more information:

 CONTACT:

 MISSION Therapeutics Ltd

Anker Lundemose MD PhD

Chief Executive Officer

Tel +44 1223 497199

Hume Brophy

Mary Clark, Eva Haas, Hollie Vile

Email: missiontherapeutics@humebrophy.com

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7862 6390

 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About MISSION Therapeutics

MISSION Therapeutics was founded in 2011 to commercialise expert research into the ubiquitin pathway for the treatment of cancers and non-malignant disease. It has built a world-leading platform for the discovery and development of first-in-class, small molecule drugs that selectively target deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) – an emerging, and hitherto intractable, drug class that is attracting significant commercial interest as the potential ‘Next Kinase Area’.

DUBs are involved in multiple cellular processes, including DNA damage response and cell proliferation, and the inhibition of these enzymes has considerable potential for the generation of novel drugs for treating cancer and other unmet medical needs, including neurodegenerative disease, muscle wasting and infectious disease. Despite significant efforts within the pharmaceutical sector, there is a lack of DUB inhibitors in clinical development.

MISSION’s leadership team has a wealth of international, commercial and scientific experience and the company has strong links with key academic and research centers including Cancer Research UK laboratories and the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge. Professor Steve Jackson at Cancer Research UK laboratories and the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge is the scientific founder of MISSION and is the Chief Scientific Officer of the Company.

MISSION Therapeutics has to date received £87 million in venture capital from a blue chip syndicate comprising institutional and corporate investors and was awarded a £1.9 million grant from Innovate UK in September 2015. In February 2016, the Company raised £60 million in a Series C financing led by Imperial Innovations and new investor Woodford Patient Capital Trust. It included follow-on investment from existing shareholders Sofinnova Partners, SR One, Roche Venture Fund and Pfizer Venture Investments. MISSION is based at the Babraham Research Campus, south of Cambridge.

Mission Therapeutics to Attend and Present at Conferences in May 2016

CAMBRIDGE, UK – 4 May 2016MISSION Therapeutics, a drug discovery and development company focused on selectively targeting deubiquitylating enzymes to treat cancer, neurodegenerative and other diseases, today announced that the company is scheduled to attend the following events:

(1) Mitochondrial Medicine: Developing New Treatments for Mitochondrial Disease conference, 4 – 6 May, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK

Michael Koslowski, Chief Medical Officer, to attend the conference

The conference will bring together world leaders in the field of translational mitochondrial medicine in an interactive program designed to engage and inspire a new generation of mitochondrial researchers, who will harness this new technology to prevent and treat these devastating diseases. The meeting attracts international delegates interested in mitochondrial diseases, working in molecular genetics, biochemistry, pathology, and clinical medicine.

(2) Bio€quity Europe, 10 – 11 May 2016, Scandic Hotel, Copenhagen, Denmark

Anker Lundemose, Chief Executive Officer, to present on Tuesday 10th May at 4.00 pm CET

David Luther, Chief Financial Officer, to attend the conference

Now in its 17th year, Bio€quity Europe is a major industry event for financial dealmakers looking for investor-validated life science companies and for pharmaceutical licensing professionals to assess top prospects. Bio€quity Europe has showcased more than 700 leading European companies to thousands of investment and pharma business development professionals. Delegates from over 20 nations attended the event last year.

(3) EMBO Conferences Cellular signalling and Cancer therapy, 27 – 31 May 2016, Hotel Croatia Cavtat, Dubrovnik, Croatia

The EMBO Conference brings together leading experts from different scientific disciplines to discuss new findings and future challenges in cancer research. The aim of this edition is to share new insights in our understanding of cancer and discuss how these insights provide new strategies for the development and improvement of diagnostic tools and cancer treatment.

For further events, please visit the MISSION Therapeutics website.

 

For more information, contact:

MISSION Therapeutics Ltd

Anker Lundemose MD PhD

Chief Executive Officer

Tel +44 1223 497199

Hume Brophy

Mary Clark, Eva Haas, Hollie Vile

Email: missiontherapeutics@humebrophy.com

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7862 6390

 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About MISSION Therapeutics

MISSION Therapeutics was founded in 2011 to commercialise expert research into the ubiquitin pathway for the treatment of cancers and non-malignant disease. It has built a world-leading platform for the discovery and development of first-in-class, small molecule drugs that selectively target deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) – an emerging, and hitherto intractable, drug class that is attracting significant commercial interest as the potential ‘Next Kinase Area’.

DUBs are involved in multiple cellular processes, including DNA damage response and cell proliferation, and the inhibition of these enzymes has considerable potential for the generation of novel drugs for treating cancer and other unmet medical needs, including neurodegenerative disease, muscle wasting and infectious disease. Despite significant efforts within the pharmaceutical sector, there is a lack of DUB inhibitors in clinical development.

MISSION’s leadership team has a wealth of international, commercial and scientific experience and the company has strong links with key academic and research centers including Cancer Research UK laboratories and the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge. Professor Steve Jackson at Cancer Research UK laboratories and the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge is the scientific founder of MISSION and is the Chief Scientific Officer of the Company.

MISSION Therapeutics has to date received £87 million in venture capital from a blue chip syndicate comprising institutional and corporate investors and was awarded a £1.9 million grant from Innovate UK in September 2015. In February 2016, the Company raised £60 million in a Series C financing led by Imperial Innovations and new investor Woodford Patient Capital Trust. It included follow-on investment from existing shareholders Sofinnova Partners, SR One, Roche Venture Fund and Pfizer Venture Investments. MISSION is based at the Babraham Research Campus, south of Cambridge

Mission Therapeutics to Present at Conferences in March – April 2016

CAMBRIDGE, UK – 31 March 2016MISSION Therapeutics, a drug discovery and development company focused on selectively targeting deubiquitylating enzymes to treat cancer, neurodegenerative and other diseases, today announced that Anker Lundemose, Chief Executive Officer, Dr Xavier Jacq, VP Scientific Affairs, Dr Paul Wallace, Chief Business Officer and Dr Michael Koslowski, Chief Medical Officer & EVP Research & Development, are scheduled to attend the following events:

(1) Biotechs and the City Spring, 31 March 2016, London, UK

Dr Anker Lundemose, CEO, to present an overview of MISSION Therapeutics on Thursday, 31 March at 6.00pm GMT

Biotechs and the City events are organised by Biotech and Money and feature highly topical short presentations or a thematical 45 minute Panel Discussion from industry Executives.

(2) Mitochondrial dynamics – Keystone Symposia, 3- 7 April 2016, Colorado, USA

Dr Xavier Jacq, VP Scientific Affairs, to attend

This meeting will highlight the latest advances in diverse disciplines including neurology, aging, cancer research, autophagy, membrane morphogenesis, structural biology and bioenergetics. The programme groups the best senior and junior scientists in these disciplines to break down barriers between different fields of research and promote innovation. As the most important discoveries in mitochondrial dynamics lie ahead, the interactions at this meeting should play a key role in their advance.

(3) BIO – Europe Spring, 4-6 April 2016, Stockholm, Sweden

Dr Paul Wallace, Chief Business Officer, to attend

The premier springtime partnering conference which annually attracts an international “who’s who” from biotech, pharma and finance for three days of high calibre networking.

(4) AACR annual meeting 2016, 16 – 20 April 2016, New Orleans, Louisiana

Dr Xavier Jacq, VP Scientific Affairs, and Dr Michael Koslowski, Chief Medical Officer & EVP Research and Development, to attend

The AACR Annual Meeting will focus on “Delivering Cures Through Cancer Science” reinforces the inextricable link between research and advances in patient care. The theme will be evident throughout the meeting as the latest, most exciting discoveries are presented in every area of cancer research.

(5) BioTrinity, 25- 27 April 2016, London, UK

Dr Paul Wallace, Chief Business Officer, to attend

BioTrinity is the nexus of a booming life sciences innovation ecosystem and provides a unique platform for R&D, global pharma and investor companies across the life sciences industry to achieve their business objectives; to secure funding, seek acquisition and in-licensing deals and grow their network.

For further events, please visit the MISSION Therapeutics website.

For more information:

CONTACT:

MISSION Therapeutics Ltd
Anker Lundemose MD PhD
Chief Executive Officer
Tel +44 1223 497199

Hume Brophy
Mary Clark, Eva Haas, Hollie Vile
Email: missiontherapeutics@humebrophy.com
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7862 6390

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About MISSION Therapeutics
MISSION Therapeutics was founded in 2011 to commercialise expert research into the ubiquitin pathway for the treatment of cancers and non-malignant disease. It has built a world-leading platform for the discovery and development of first-in-class, small molecule drugs that selectively target deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) – an emerging, and hitherto intractable, drug class that is attracting significant commercial interest as the potential ‘Next Kinase Area’.

DUBs are involved in multiple cellular processes, including DNA damage response and cell proliferation, and the inhibition of these enzymes has considerable potential for the generation of novel drugs for treating cancer and other unmet medical needs, including neurodegenerative disease, muscle wasting and infectious disease. Despite significant efforts within the pharmaceutical sector, there is a lack of DUB inhibitors in clinical development.

MISSION’s leadership team has a wealth of international, commercial and scientific experience and the company has strong links with key academic and research centers including Cancer Research UK laboratories and the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge. Professor Steve Jackson at Cancer Research UK laboratories and the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge is the scientific founder of MISSION and is the Chief Scientific Officer of the Company.

MISSION Therapeutics has to date received £87 million in venture capital from a blue chip syndicate comprising institutional and corporate investors and was awarded a £1.9 million grant from Innovate UK in September 2015. In February 2016, the Company raised £60 million in a Series C financing led by Imperial Innovations and new investor Woodford Patient Capital Trust. It included follow-on investment from existing shareholders Sofinnova Partners, SR One, Roche Venture Fund and Pfizer Venture Investments. MISSION is based at the Babraham Research Campus, south of Cambridge.

Mission Therapeutics to Present at Conferences in March 2016

 CAMBRIDGE, UK – 1 March 2016MISSION Therapeutics, a drug discovery and development company focused on selectively targeting deubiquitylating enzymes to treat cancer, neurodegenerative and other diseases, today announced that Anker Lundemose, Chief Executive Officer, and Dr Xavier Jacq, VP Scientific Affairs, are scheduled to present at the following events:

(1) 6th Ubiquitin Research and Drug Discovery GTC Conference, 29 February-1 March, 2016, San Diego, CA

Dr Xavier Jacq, VP Scientific Affairs, to present on Tuesday, 1st March 2016 at 11.25 am PST on “Discovery of highly selective DUB inhibitors with in vivo pre-clinical activity”

This conference provides a forum for researchers from both industry and academia to learn about recent advances in basic science and drugs that target the ubiquitin/proteasome system. Topics will include autophagy in cancer, developments with deubiquitinating enzymes, and novel drug targets in the ubiquitin system.

(2) Cowen and Company 36th Annual Health Care Conference, 7-9 March 2016, The Boston Marriott Copley Place, Boston, Massachusetts

Anker Lundemose, CEO, to present on Tuesday, 8th March 2016 at 3.30 pm EST

Cowen and Company’s conferences belong to major industry events and connects top institutional investors with leading companies in the healthcare sector.

(3) 9th Annual European Life Science CEO Forum & Exhibition, 15-16 March 2016, Hilton Zurich Airport Hotel, Switzerland

Anker Lundemose, CEO, to speak on Tuesday, 15th March 2016 at 2.00 pm CET on the panel “Platform Technologies & Novel Therapeutics Panel” as well as present an overview of MISSION therapeutics at 4.45 pm CET

The event brings together venture-funded and small-cap companies as well as leading investors, pharmas, and scientific thought leaders. The event includes sessions on Public Markets and M&A, Investment, Partnering as well as panels on: Clinical Development, Regulation in Europe, Innovation and BD&L in Oncology as well as Platform Technologies & Novel Therapeutics.

(4) Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology: Ubiquitin Signaling (X3), 13-17 March 2016, Whistler Conference Centre, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada

Dr Xavier Jacq, VP Scientific Affairs, to present on Monday, 14th March 2016 at 5.00 pm PST on “Role of Ubiquitylation in Control of Autophagy, Short Talk: Inhibitors of USP30 as a Potential Treatment of Parkinson’s disease And Other Mitochondrial Dysfunctions”

Organized by Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology, the conference aims to connect the scientific community and accelerate life science discovery. The meeting will focus on how ubiquitylation controls processes such as autophagy, neurodegenerative diseases, hypertension and the immune system.

 

For more information:

 CONTACT:

 MISSION Therapeutics Ltd

Anker Lundemose MD PhD

Chief Executive Officer

Tel +44 1223 497199

 Hume Brophy

Mary Clark, Eva Haas, Hollie Vile

Email: missiontherapeutics@humebrophy.com

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7862 6390

 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About MISSION Therapeutics

MISSION Therapeutics was founded in 2011 to commercialise expert research into the ubiquitin pathway for the treatment of cancers and non-malignant disease. It has built a world-leading platform for the discovery and development of first-in-class, small molecule drugs that selectively target deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) – an emerging, and hitherto intractable, drug class that is attracting significant commercial interest as the potential ‘Next Kinase Area’.

DUBs are involved in multiple cellular processes, including DNA damage response and cell proliferation, and the inhibition of these enzymes has considerable potential for the generation of novel drugs for treating cancer and other unmet medical needs, including neurodegenerative disease, muscle wasting and infectious disease. Despite significant efforts within the pharmaceutical sector, there is a lack of DUB inhibitors in clinical development.

MISSION’s leadership team has a wealth of international, commercial and scientific experience and the company has strong links with key academic and research centers including Cancer Research UK laboratories and the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge. Professor Steve Jackson at Cancer Research UK laboratories and the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge is the scientific founder of MISSION and is the Chief Scientific Officer of the Company.

MISSION Therapeutics has to date received £87 million in venture capital from a blue chip syndicate comprising institutional and corporate investors and was awarded a £1.9 million grant from Innovate UK in September 2015. In February 2016, the Company raised £60 million in a Series C financing led by Imperial Innovations and new investor Woodford Patient Capital Trust. It included follow-on investment from existing shareholders Sofinnova Partners, SR One, Roche Venture Fund and Pfizer Venture Investments. MISSION is based at the Babraham Research Campus, south of Cambridge.

MISSION Therapeutics Raises £60 million to Progress Development of Novel DUB Inhibitors from Innovative Drug Platform

Woodford Patient Capital Trust joins existing syndicate supporting transition to clinical development 

CAMBRIDGE, UK – 2 February 2016MISSION Therapeutics, a drug discovery and development company focused on selectively targeting deubiquitylating enzymes to treat cancer, neurodegenerative and other diseases, today announced it has raised £60 million. The financing was jointly led by Imperial Innovations Businesses LLP (“Innovations”) and new investor Woodford Patient Capital Trust Plc (“WPCT”), with follow-on investment from existing shareholders Sofinnova Partners, SR One, Roche Venture Fund and Pfizer Venture Investments.

The £60 million will enable MISSION to maximize the potential of its world leading DUB platform and advance a series of first-in-class small molecule drugs candidates targeting specific DUBs into clinical development.

Anker Lundemose, Chief Executive Officer, MISSION Therapeutics commented:MISSION Therapeutics has attracted one of the highest profile investor syndicates in Europe. We welcome WPCT and thank our existing investors for their continued support. This is strong endorsement of our unique discovery platform and will enable us to maximize the potential of multiple lead compounds for diverse therapeutic indications. 2016 will see us progress our advanced programs into regulatory preclinical development and deepen our pipeline, from a position of increased financial strength.”

Rob Woodman, Director of Healthcare Ventures, Imperial Innovations added: “We believe MISSION’s world-class DUB platform has the potential to deliver innovative treatments in indications of high unmet need including neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. The investor group are pleased to support the creative management team in realising the full potential of the ground-breaking discovery chemistry as MISSION enters its next, clinically-centred stage of growth.”

DUBs are involved in multiple cellular processes, including DNA damage and cell proliferation, and the inhibition of these enzymes has considerable potential for the generation of novel drugs for treating cancer and other unmet medical needs, including neurodegenerative disease, muscle wasting and infectious disease. Despite significant efforts within the pharmaceutical sector, there is a lack of DUB inhibitors in clinical development.

 

CONTACT:

MISSION Therapeutics Ltd

Anker Lundemose MD PhD

Chief Executive Officer

Tel +44 1223 497199

 

Hume Brophy

Mary Clark, Eva Haas, Hollie Vile

Email: missiontherapeutics@humebrophy.com

Tel: +44 207 862 6390

 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About MISSION Therapeutics

MISSION Therapeutics was founded in 2011 to commercialise expert research into the ubiquitin pathway for the treatment of cancers and non-malignant disease. It has built a world-leading platform for the discovery and development of first-in-class, small molecule drugs that selectively target deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) – an emerging, and hitherto intractable, drug class that is attracting significant commercial interest as the potential ‘Next Kinase Area’.

DUBs are involved in multiple cellular processes, including DNA damage and cell proliferation, and the inhibition of these enzymes has considerable potential for the generation of novel drugs for treating cancer and other unmet medical needs, including neurodegenerative disease, muscle wasting and infectious disease. Despite significant efforts within the pharmaceutical sector, there is a lack of DUB inhibitors in clinical development.

MISSION’s leadership team has a wealth of international, commercial and scientific experience and the company has strong links with key academic and research centers including Cancer Research UK laboratories and the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge. Professor Steve Jackson at Cancer Research UK laboratories and the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge is the scientific founder of MISSION and is the Chief Scientific Officer of the Company.

The Company has to date received £27 million in venture capital from a blue chip syndicate comprising institutional (Sofinnova Partners, Imperial Innovations) and corporate (SR One, Roche Venture Fund and Pfizer) investors and is based at the Babraham Research Campus, south of Cambridge.

About Woodford Patient Capital Trust

WPCT is the £800 million investment trust launched in April 2015 by Woodford Investment Management LLP (“Woodford”). The trust invests mainly in early-stage and early-growth companies but also has exposure to some blue-chip companies. Woodford is a fast-growing asset management company built on a founding philosophy of transparency and simplicity. Launched in May 2014, the company has more than £14bn assets under management. Further information can be found at https://woodfordfunds.com

 

 

MISSION Therapeutics appoints David Luther as Chief Financial Officer

Expands management team with accomplished senior executive

CAMBRIDGE, UK – 1 October 2015MISSION Therapeutics, a drug discovery and development company focused on selectively targeting deubiquitylating (DUB) enzymes to treat cancer and other diseases, announced the appointment of David Luther as Chief Financial Officer, to take effect from 1st October 2015.

Mr Luther brings more than 25 years’ financial and operational experience, across the healthcare, FMCG and pharmaceutical industries. He joins MISSION from Spotless Group, a private equity backed FMCG business, having successfully supported them in a trade exit to Henkel. He served as VP Finance for commercial and supply chain operations in the UK, Ireland and Italy.

Prior to the Spotless Group, Mr Luther was Finance Director for the Italian operations of Aptuit, a global healthcare contract services organisation, and prior to this spent 15 years at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). At GSK, Mr Luther held a number of senior roles, including Director, Corporate Development, responsible for M&A transactions, Finance Director Neurosciences, helping to create GSK’s innovative drug discovery concept, commercial Finance Director positions in Hungary and Poland, and initially as an Operations Consultant, performing consulting and compliance reviews across the organisation.

Mr Luther trained and qualified as an ACA with KPMG and has a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Surrey. He has lived and worked in the UK, USA, Poland, Hungary, Italy and South Africa.

Commenting on the appointment, Dr Anker Lundemose, Chief Executive Officer of MISSION Therapeutics, said: “David’s financial acumen, extensive experience and exemplary track record in both large pharma and private equity-backed companies will be invaluable to MISSION. This welcome appointment comes at a pivotal moment in our corporate development and complements the senior management team as our assets grow with the success of our discovery programmes.”

David Luther, newly appointed Chief Financial Officer of MISSION Therapeutics, added: “I am very enthusiastic about joining the highly experienced MISSION management team and look forward to working with them and the Company’s investors to create and deliver value from the diverse therapeutic opportunities generated by the Company’s discovery platform.”

 

CONTACT:

MISSION Therapeutics Ltd

Anker Lundemose MD PhD

Chief Executive Officer

Tel +44 1223 497454

 

Hume Brophy

Mary Clark, Eva Haas, Hollie Vile

Email: missiontherapeutics@humebrophy.com

Tel: +44 203 440 5654

 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About MISSION Therapeutics

MISSION Therapeutics was founded in 2011 to commercialise expert research into the ubiquitin pathway for the treatment of cancers and other diseases of unmet need. It has built a World-leading platform for the discovery and development of first-in-class, small molecule drugs that selectively target deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) – an emerging, and hitherto intractable, drug class that is attracting significant commercial interest as the potential ‘Next Kinase Area’.

MISSION’s leadership team has a wealth of international, commercial and scientific experience and the company has strong links with key academic and research centers including Cancer Research UK laboratories and the Jackson Laboratories at the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge.

The Company has received £27 million in venture capital from a blue chip syndicate comprising institutional (Sofinnova Partners, Imperial Innovations) and corporate (SR One, Roche Venture Fund and Pfizer) investors, and was awarded a £1.9 million grant from Innovate UK in September 2015. MISSION is based at the Babraham Research Campus, south of Cambridge.

MISSION Therapeutics receives funding from Innovate UK for DUB cancer programme

CAMBRIDGE, UK – 22 September 2015 MISSION Therapeutics, a drug discovery and development company focused on selectively targeting deubiquitylating enzymes to treat cancer and other diseases, today announced that it has been awarded a £1.9 million grant from Innovate UK. The funding is for the discovery of preclinical DUB inhibitors directed at specific deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs).

DUBs are involved in multiple cellular processes, including DNA damage and cell proliferation, and the inhibition of these enzymes has considerable potential for the generation of novel drugs for treating cancer and other unmet medical needs.

“This funding support from Innovate UK is further validation of our DUB technology platform and science. It will help us develop our pipeline and establish MISSION Therapeutics as a World-leader in the DUB field. More importantly, it will enable us to expand our search for new solutions to treat life-threatening diseases such as cancer”, commented Anker Lundemose, Chief Executive Officer, MISSION Therapeutics.

MISSION Therapeutics has received funding from the eighth round of the Biomedical Catalyst (BMC), a joint programme run by the Medical Research Council and the government’s innovation experts: Innovate UK (IUK). This fund supports UK academics and small to medium-sized businesses seeking to take their research from discovery through to commercialisation to deliver patient benefit.

DUBs are increasingly being considered as attractive therapeutic targets due to their relevance to many diseases such as cancer, inflammation, neurodegeneration, muscle wasting and infectious disease. However, despite significant efforts within the pharmaceutical sector, there is a lack of DUB inhibitors in clinical development. MISSION Therapeutics is a World-leading expert in DUB drug discovery with the scientific know-how to produce multiple DUB inhibitors as viable drug candidates. In this Innovate UK-funded project, MISSION will use its proprietary and unique technology platform to identify novel chemical entities targeting a particular DUB that lies at a key node of oncogenic signaling. Ultimately, these inhibitors, with first-in-class potential, will be used for treating malignancies with high unmet need for the benefit of cancer sufferers worldwide.

CONTACT:

MISSION Therapeutics Ltd
Anker Lundemose MD PhD
Chief Executive Officer
Tel +44 1223 497454

Hume Brophy
Mary Clark, Eva Haas, Hollie Vile
Email: missiontherapeutics@humebrophy.com
Tel: +44 2034 405654

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About MISSION Therapeutics
MISSION Therapeutics was founded in 2011 to commercialise expert research into the ubiquitin pathway for the treatment of cancers and other diseases of unmet need. It has built a World-leading platform for the discovery and development of first-in-class, small molecule drugs that selectively target deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) – an emerging, and hitherto intractable, drug class that is attracting significant commercial interest as the potential ‘Next Kinase Area’.
MISSION’s leadership team has a wealth of international, commercial and scientific experience and the company has strong links with key academic and research centers including Cancer Research UK laboratories and the Jackson Laboratories at the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge.
The Company has received £27 million in venture capital from a blue chip syndicate comprising institutional (Sofinnova Partners, Imperial Innovations) and corporate (SR One, Roche Venture Fund and Pfizer) investors and is based at the Babraham Research Campus, south of Cambridge.
About Innovate UK
Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency. It works with people, companies and partner organisations to find and drive the science and technology innovations that will grow the UK economy. For more details please visit www.innovateuk.gov.uk

MISSION Therapeutics appoints Michael Koslowski as Chief Medical Officer

CAMBRIDGE, UK – 1 September 2015MISSION Therapeutics (MISSION), a drug discovery and development company focused on selectively targeting deubiquitylating enzymes to treat cancer and other diseases, today announced the appointment of Dr Michael Koslowski as Chief Medical Officer to take effect from 1 September 2015.

Dr Koslowski brings over 15 years’ experience across biopharmaceutical research and development, specialising in drug target discovery and clinical validation. Dr Koslowski joins MISSION from Glenmark Pharmaceuticals where he served as Head of Clinical Sciences & Early Development and led Glenmark’s first oncology development programme. Prior to this, Dr Koslowski was Global Head of Translational Medicine Experts at Boehringer Ingelheim, where he had oversight of the transition of projects and programmes across all therapeutic areas, from early research through to clinical proof of concept.

Commenting on the appointment, Dr Anker Lundemose, Chief Executive Officer of MISSION Therapeutics, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Dr Koslowski to MISSION’s senior management team. His track record and expertise in successfully translating research into the clinic will enable us to further advance our proprietary DUB platform, and develop new classes of medicines in cancer as well as other disease areas with high unmet medical need. This appointment supports MISSION’s growth strategy as we continue to transition our business into a clinical stage organisation. We look forward to benefiting from Dr Koslowski’s experience and in-depth knowledge of clinical development.”

Dr Michael Koslowski, newly appointed Chief Medical Officer of MISSION Therapeutics, added:MISSION has developed a proprietary and world-class technological and transferable expertise in developing DUB inhibitors. I am thrilled to join this highly experienced team in progressing the potential of the Company’s platform.”

Prior to Boehringer Ingelheim, Dr Koslowski was Associate Professor of Molecular Medicine at the University of Mainz. He is also founding member and former Group Head, New Targets & Antibody Development, Ganymed Pharmaceuticals AG, a spin-off from the Universities of Mainz and Zürich. While at Ganymed Pharmaceuticals AG, Dr Koslowski implemented a sustainable target discovery platform, one of the cornerstones for the foundation of the Company. Dr Koslowski was Principal Scientist in Experimental and Translational Oncology at the University of Mainz from 2000 to 2010, and a research scientist in Target Discovery and Research at University of the Saarland in Hamburg.

CONTACT:

MISSION Therapeutics Ltd

Anker Lundemose MD PhD

Chief Executive Officer

Tel +44 1223 497454

Hume Brophy

Mary Clark, Eva Haas, Hollie Vile

Email: missiontherapeutics@humebrophy.com

Tel: +44 203 440 5654

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About MISSION Therapeutics

MISSION Therapeutics was founded in 2011 to commercialise expert research into the ubiquitin pathway for the treatment of cancers and other diseases of unmet need. It has built a World-leading platform for the discovery and development of first-in-class, small molecule drugs that selectively target deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) – an emerging, and hitherto intractable, drug class that is attracting significant commercial interest as the potential ‘Next Kinase Area’.

MISSION’s leadership team has a wealth of international, commercial and scientific experience and the Company has strong links with key academic and research centres including Cancer Research UK laboratories and the Jackson Laboratories at the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge.

The Company has received £27 million in venture capital from a blue chip syndicate comprising institutional (Sofinnova Partners, Imperial Innovations) and corporate (SR One, Roche Venture Fund and Pfizer) investors and is based at the Babraham Research Campus, south of Cambridge.

MISSION appoints Dr Colin Goddard to its Board of Directors

CAMBRIDGE, UK,  1ST JULY 2015 – MISSION Therapeutics, a drug discovery and development company today announced Dr Colin Goddard, former Chief Executive Officer of OSI Pharmaceuticals (“OSI”), has been appointed to the Company’s Board of Directors.

“We are privileged to have Dr Goddard join our board at this exciting phase of MISSION’s growth and development”, commented Michael Moore, Chairman, MISSION Therapeutics.

“Dr Goddard has more than 25 years of outstanding leadership experience in the US biopharmaceutical industry and will add a complementary strategic dimension to our board. We look forward to benefiting from his corporate vision, as we continue to transition our business into a clinical stage organisation.”

Dr Anker Lundemose, Chief Executive Officer of MISSION Therapeutics added: “We are pleased to welcome Dr Goddard to MISSION Therapeutics. His experience and track record in clinical development will be invaluable as we look to develop new drugs that will significantly improve the management of cancer.”

Dr Goddard joined OSI as a research scientist in 1989 and led the transformation of the technology platform services company into a profitable fully integrated biopharmaceutical organisation, becoming CEO in 1998. He was pivotal in the registration and launch of OSI’s targeted therapeutic product, Tarceva (erlotinib) and also directed the Company’s financing, corporate development and acquisition strategies, completing several major acquisitions and divestitures and raising over $1.5bn in capital. OSI was acquired by Astellas Pharma Inc. in June 2010 for $4bn.

Dr Goddard obtained his PhD in cancer pharmacology from the University of Aston in Birmingham, UK and worked at the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, before joining OSI. He currently serves as Executive Chairman of US based Biotech companies, Coferon, Inc and Merganser Biotech and as a Director on the boards of Endocyte Inc (NASDAQ: ECYT) and PanOptica Inc.; He was formerly a Director at Human Genome Sciences Inc.

About MISSION Therapeutics

Founded in 2011, MISSION Therapeutics builds on the research of Professor Steve Jackson FRS, who holds the Frederick James Quick Chair of Biology at the University of Cambridge, by exploiting the new and extensive research emerging on the ubiquitin pathways that control cellular responses to DNA damage.

MISSION has established a broad platform of technologies for the discovery and preclinical development of first-in-class modulators of ubiquitin pathway enzymes involved in cancer and other diseases. The Company is developing drugs to inhibit the proliferation of tumour cells, exploiting certain properties of specific DUBs, such as their oncogene status or association with synthetic lethality, the latter now a clinically-proven mechanism for selectively killing tumour cells.

The Company has received £27 million in venture capital from a blue chip syndicate comprising institutional (Sofinnova Partners, Imperial Innovations) and corporate (SR One, Roche Venture Fund and Pfizer) investors and is based at the Babraham Research Campus, south of Cambridge.

CONTACT:

MISSION Therapeutics Ltd

Anker Lundemose MD PhD

Chief Executive Officer

Tel +44 1223 497454

Hume Brophy

Mary Clark, Hollie Vile, Alexia Faure

Email: missiontherapeutics@humebrophy.com

Tel: +44 2034 405654

Prof Steve Jackson to give Sackler Lecture

Professor Steve Jackson, MISSION Therapeutics CSO and Professor of Biology, Head of Cancer Research UK laboratories at the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, will be giving the 22nd Raymond and Beverly Sackler distinguished lecture on the 11th of June in Leeds and on the 25th of June in Cambridge. The title of the lecture is ‘Cellular responses to DNA damage:mechanistic insights and new cancer therapies’.