Ship of Theseus
A therapeutics company developing degradation-resistant Hox family biologics
Technology:
Ship of Theseus is developing a proprietary suite of biologics based on the homeobox (HOX) family of transcription factors. HOX genes are master regulators of many context-specific cell phenotypes. This technology leverages modifications made to the conserved degron region of HOX proteins to resist intracellular half-life (HOX+). Combined with cell-penetrating and nuclear targeting peptide motifs, HOX+ unlocks these powerful transcription factors for disease-modifying therapeutics. |
Advantages: "Shake and Bake"
HOX proteins are difficult to target with cell or nuclear specificity and possess an intracellular half-life on the order of minutes, requiring heavy, repeat dosing. HOX+ modified proteins enter cells within minutes of exposure and resist intracellular degradation for several days, reducing dose frequency and mass. In the clinical setting, HOX+ can be shipped and applied in situ rather than requiring ex vivo culture in a specialized facility. |
|