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Incuron is a private clinical-stage company that develops a novel class of synthetic small molecules, Curaxins, with a unique multi-targeted mechanism of antitumor activity. These chromatin damaging agents interfere with histone/DNA binding causing decondensation of chromatin in tumor cells, functional inactivation of histone chaperone FACT, and simultaneous effect on a set of universal previously undruggable targets, leading to inhibition of pro-cancer transcriptional factors, MYC, NF-kB, HIF1a, and HSF-1, and activation of the tumor suppressor p53, as well as induction of type I interferon response.
Key advantages of curaxins based on current preclinical and early clinical data include:
- novel mechanism of action that would bring the additional treatment option for advanced and relapsed tumors, as well as potential to overcome resistance to previous treatments;
- favorable pharmacology and manageable safety profiles;
- low potential for serious drug-drug interactions providing opportunities for combinatorial therapeutic regimens;
- broad activity in different tumor types that may open wider market opportunities;
- focused phase 2 clinical study program can establish faster clinical proof of concept and build toward accelerated regulatory approval.
Incuron owns a worldwide patent portfolio, including the composition of matter and therapeutic uses of the compounds.

Innova Therapeutics is a Charleston, South Carolina based biotechnology company developing a monoclonal antibody (mAb) platform targeting a protein that is highly expressed in various solid cancers and shown to correlate with patient outcome. The lead humanized mAb has been selected and is designated as IVT-8086. Innova’s platform technology is initially focused on targeting cancers including pediatric osteosarcoma, sarcomas, breast cancer and pancreatic cancer. The opportunity for this anticancer therapy as a monotherapy and in combination with other chemotherapy agents will expand across other solid tumors. The focus on pediatric osteosarcoma as one of the initial targets will allow a fast-regulatory approval, with the opportunity to obtain a Rare Pediatric Disease priority review voucher. Because Priority Review Vouchers (PRVs) may be sold, a secondary market for the vouchers has emerged, with revenue ranging between $80M and $350M.

The Innova team includes industry leaders with broad pharmaceutical development experience including extensive successful cancer therapy development, as well as life science leadership, manufacturing, preclinical research and safety, business development and regulatory. The team is led by one of the co-founders and CEO, Robert Ryan, Ph.D., who is a successful serial biotech entrepreneur.

The Innova management team was previously the management team in the biotech, Scioderm. Scioderm was the first biotech to receive “Breakthrough Therapy” designation from the FDA for their therapy for an orphan disease. In addition, Dr. Ryan led the successful sale of Scioderm to Amicus in 2015 for approximately $957M (4th largest venture capital (VC) backed exit of 2015 in the biotech/pharmaceutical space), in a period of less than 2.5 years from initiation of the company with a total spend of less than $22M.