NuPotential is pioneering the discovery and development of next generation “Epi-drugs”, novel compounds that modulate epigenetic targets and their processes, initially for the treatment of cancer.  Epigenetics is the study of the epigenome, a group of functionally relevant and ubiquitous genomic modifications that do not involve a change in sequence in the underlying genome’s DNA sequence.  With its role as a key player of gene expression, epigenetics is a rapidly emerging and highly promising source of new drug targets.

NuPotential discovery technologies and efforts focus on the two major components of the epigenetic machinery: histone modification and DNA methylation.  Many serious disease states, including cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders are linked to or are a result of aberrant gene expression regulated by the epigenome. The Company’s two most advanced programs include histone methyltransferase and DNA methyltransferase modulators initially being evaluated as cancer treatments.  Research at NuPotential and by others has shown these select areas hold great promise as attractive and tractable therapeutic targets.

The Company’s proprietary PIER™ drug discovery platform stems from the foundational discoveries of Dr. Kenneth Eilertsen linking small molecule epigenetic pathway modulators to cellular reprogramming.  Imbedded in this breakthrough was the uncovering that modifying a single biochemical pathway could alter key epigenetic modifications.  NuPotential’s proprietary understandings of key epigenetic pathways and related biology have elicited attractive drug targets and formed the basis for select, novel drug discovery strategies.

NuPotential has identified several promising epigenetic targets and candidate molecules from which to investigate lead series compounds.  These lead molecules have demonstrated high selectivity across histone and DNA methylation isoforms and promising efficacy in enzymatic and challenging in-vitro tumors models, e.g. triple negative breast cancer cell lines, a cancer form for which there is no currently available treatments.  Forthcoming R&D efforts will expand, advance and further characterize these candidates for tumor type potential, safety, pharmaceutics and efficacy and select prioritized compounds for clinical development.