Think Bioscience Company Profile

Background

Overview

Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, Think Bioscience is a synthetic biology company dedicated to developing small-molecule therapeutics targeting "undruggable" proteins. By integrating applied microbiology, enzymology, and computational science, the company aims to address challenging targets in drug discovery.

Mission and Vision

Think Bioscience's mission is to reimagine synthetic biology by leveraging living systems to guide the design and assembly of better medicines. The company envisions transforming drug discovery by harnessing nature's biochemical machinery to develop therapeutics for diseases lacking effective treatments.

Industry Significance

By focusing on "undruggable" proteins, Think Bioscience addresses a significant challenge in the pharmaceutical industry. Their innovative approach has the potential to unlock new therapeutic avenues for conditions that have been difficult to treat with traditional methods.

Key Strategic Focus

Core Objectives

Targeting Undruggable Proteins: Developing small-molecule therapeutics for proteins previously considered difficult to target.

Platform Expansion: Enhancing their drug discovery platform to tackle new classes of challenging targets.

Areas of Specialization

Think Bioscience specializes in synthetic biology, focusing on therapeutic areas such as oncology, autoimmune diseases, and metabolic disorders.

Key Technologies Utilized

Synthetic Biology: Programming microbes to build small molecules that bind to functional pockets in target proteins.

Computational Science: Utilizing data-driven approaches to guide drug design and discovery.

Primary Markets Targeted

The company targets markets with unmet medical needs, particularly in oncology, autoimmune diseases, and metabolic disorders.

Financials and Funding

Funding History

Seed Round (August 2022): Raised $17 million in an oversubscribed round led by Innovation Endeavors and Xora Innovation, with participation from AV8 Ventures, Buff Gold Ventures, and LiquidMetal Ventures.

Seed Extension (May 2024): Secured an additional $6 million from YK Bioventures, bringing total funding to $26 million.

Notable Investors

Investors include Innovation Endeavors, Xora Innovation, AV8 Ventures, Buff Gold Ventures, LiquidMetal Ventures, and YK Bioventures.

Utilization of Capital

The funds are intended to expand the drug discovery platform and advance internal drug development programs.

Pipeline Development

Key Pipeline Candidates

While specific pipeline candidates are not publicly disclosed, the company focuses on developing small-molecule therapeutics targeting undruggable proteins in oncology, autoimmune diseases, and metabolic disorders.

Stages of Development

The company is in the preclinical stage, utilizing its platform to identify and develop potential drug candidates.

Target Conditions

Target conditions include various cancers, autoimmune diseases, and metabolic disorders.

Anticipated Milestones

The company aims to advance its internal drug development programs and expand its platform to tackle new classes of difficult-to-drug targets.

Technological Platform and Innovation

Proprietary Technologies

Think Bioscience's platform combines applied microbiology, enzymology, and computational science to develop small-molecule therapeutics against elusive targets.

Significant Scientific Methods

Microbial Systems: Utilizing engineered microbial systems to identify and build inhibitors for target proteins.

Synthetic Biology: Employing synthetic biology techniques to redirect nature's machinery against challenging human disease targets.

Leadership Team

Executive Profiles

Jerome Fox, Ph.D. – Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer.

Philip Jeng – Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer.

Shelley Allen – Vice President, Medicinal Chemistry. Over 20 years of drug discovery experience, including roles at Array Biopharma and Pfizer.

Scientific Advisory Board

Wendy Young, Ph.D. – Former Senior Vice President, Small Molecule Drug Discovery at Genentech. Over 30 years of experience in small molecule research and development.

Larry Burgess, Ph.D. – Former Head of Chemistry at Vividion Therapeutics and VP of Medicinal Chemistry at Array Biopharma.

David Chantry, Ph.D. – Former VP of Translational and Cellular Biology at Array Biopharma.

Board of Directors

Nicholas A. Saccomano, Ph.D. – Former Chief Science Officer at Pfizer R&D and Array Biopharma. Over 30 years of research and development experience.