Ratio Therapeutics Inc. today announced its launch with a mission to develop best-in-class targeted radiopharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancers. Founded by entrepreneurial scientists Jack Hoppin, Ph.D., and John Babich, Ph.D., Ratio emerges from stealth mode with more than $20 million in seed funding, fully funded development alliances with Bayer AG and Lantheus Holdings Inc., a robust portfolio of assets developed with two proprietary technologies, and a growing team of world-class experts in radiopharmaceuticals discovery and development. The company's near-term plans call for the submission of its first investigational new drug (IND) applications, which are expected this quarter, and the initiation of clinical trials later this year. Based in Boston, Ratio is set to move to a new 19,000-square-foot headquarters and research facility in the Seaport District in January.
Ratio's radiopharmaceuticals strategy is focused on optimizing tumor localization while minimizing uptake by normal tissues. To achieve this, the company uses its proprietary technology platform called Trillium™ that is based on Dr. Babich's prior research at Weill-Cornell Medical College and first developed and validated by the founders in a previous venture. Trillium is a trifunctional small molecule scaffold that can be fine-tuned to alter its plasma clearance, target affinity and therapeutic payload. Each component of the scaffolding can be independently optimized to boost tumor uptake over normal tissue uptake, thereby maximizing therapeutic index. Ratio has successfully applied this framework to several tumor targets and multiple therapeutic payloads.
In addition, Ratio is developing a technology platform to take advantage of the tumor killing power of the alpha emitter, Actinium-225. This proprietary technology is called the Macropa™ chelate platform. Ratio's scientists have already successfully incorporated Macropa into the Trillium platform as well as several peptides and antibodies. Macropa's unique chemistry enables ease of manufacture and robust in vitro and in vivo stability of the resulting radiotherapeutic compound.
The ability to fine-tune our targeted radiotherapeutics using Trillium and Macropa enables us to address head-on the trifecta of typical challenges we see with most radiopharmaceuticals: delivery, safety and efficacy, Over the past year, we have generated significant preclinical data that demonstrate our ability to create excellent performing drug candidates that now are advancing into the clinic. Our goal is to become the partner of choice for pharmaceutical companies committed to this area of cancer therapy by enabling the optimization of a broad array of targeting compounds. We will shepherd these therapies through early clinical studies on our own or in collaboration."
Dr. Babich, Ratio's President and Chief Scientific Officer.
Targeted radiotherapy is an exciting and emerging field where chemistry meets physics meets medicine. We have assembled and will continue to build a world-class interdisciplinary team of researchers and developers with a singular focus on delivering these treatments to cancer patients. It isn't often that a start-up company has in place the early financial backing and industry support to advance entirely new drug discoveries to clinical development at this pace. It is with great pride that we announce our formal launch and exit from stealth mode."
Dr. Hoppin, Ratio's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
In collaboration with Bayer, Ratio has leveraged its Trillium platform for the identification of lead prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted therapeutic compounds for prostate cancer. At the same time, Ratio is working with Lantheus to develop a lead fibroblast activation protein (FAP)-targeted PET diagnostic compound for a broad array of epithelial-derived cancers, such as breast, pancreatic, lung and stomach cancer. Both collaborations are fully funded and reflect the types of partnerships that Ratio is currently pursuing with other companies.
About Ratio Therapeutics
Ratio Therapeutics Inc. is a Boston-based pharmaceutical company with the mission to accelerate the development of next-generation precision radiopharmaceuticals for solid tumors and transform oncology treatment paradigms. Founded by John Babich, Ph.D., and Jack Hoppin, Ph.D., the company currently employs a growing team of radiopharmaceuticals discovery and development experts with backgrounds in the life science industry. Ratio's fully integrated proprietary R&D platforms, Trillium™ and Macropa™, enable the imaging, discovery and advancement of novel radiopharmaceuticals that have first/best-in-class delivery, safety and efficacy properties. The tunable nature of the company's platforms enables the efficient and timely generation of numerous novel radiopharmaceuticals for a broad range of high unmet need in solid tumors. Built to be the radiopharmaceuticals discovery and development partner of choice, Ratio currently collaborates with Bayer and Lantheus.