Epitherapeutics Receives Funding from Novo and SEED Capital Denmark for Cancer Drug Development in the Field of Epigenetics

Epitherapeutics Aps has announced the receipt of funding from two of the leading Danish life science investor groups, Novo A/S and SEED Capital Denmark to advance the discovery and development of new cancer treatments by leveraging breakthroughs in the field of Epigenetics.

Epitherapeutics describes the chemical modifications and mechanisms affecting the way DNA is packaged within the cell's nucleus. These processes are master regulators that enable gene expression to be turned on and off to maintain normal cellular function. During recent years, it has become clear that epigenetic control mechanisms do not function properly in cancer and some metabolic diseases, including diabetes. The field of Epigenetics focuses on the discovery of novel therapeutics that targets these epigenetic mechanisms to selectively regulate their activity. In the case of cancer, this could result in new drugs that shut down deadly tumor growth by a novel, epigenetic mechanism of action.

Epitherapeutics' scientific founders are internationally recognized in the field of Epigenetics research from the Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC) unit at Copenhagen University, including Professor and Director of BRIC, Kristian Helin; Assistant Professor Paul Cloos; and Associate Professor Jesper Christensen.

- By founding Epitherapeutics, we hope to contribute to the development of new treatments against cancer. This project is in alignment with the research at BRIC where we try to elucidate the underlying epigenetic cause of different diseases and then apply our discoveries to develop new medicines that could improve the treatment options and outcome for patients with cancer and other diseases, said Professor Kristian Helin.

Read the full press release.

Read more about epigenetics and Epitherapeutics at videnskab.dk (in Danish).

Source: Press release, Epitherapeutics, Novo and SEES Capital, 05.12.2008.