Health Care & Insurance January 10, 2025 3:32:43 pm

Numiera gets matching state funds to advance brain cancer treatment

By BizWest Staff

FORT COLLINS — Numiera Therapeutics Inc., a client company of Fort Collins-based Innosphere and a pharmaceutical pioneer in small-molecule drugs for oncology, announced Friday, Jan. 10, that its lead candidate has received “orphan drug” designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating malignant gliomas, and that the company has been awarded 2:1 matching funds from the state of Colorado’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

The orphan drug designation provides Denver-based Numiera with a number of incentives, including seven years of post-approval market exclusivity, tax credits and fee waivers. This designation significantly bolsters the company’s efforts to bring an innovative treatment for brain tumors to clinical trials and to market.

Numiera is working to revolutionize cancer treatment by targeting fatty-acid metabolism in cancer cells. Unlike traditional approaches that focus on glucose metabolism, Numiera’s research has uncovered a critical vulnerability in cancer cells that rely on fatty-acid oxidation for energy production. By inhibiting the carnitine palmitoyl transferase pathway, Numiera’s lead candidate aims to “stall the engines” of cancer cells, slowing tumor growth and enhancing patient outcomes.

“Our approach represents a paradigm shift in neuro-oncology,” Izi Stoll, co-founder and CEO of Numiera, said in a prepared statement. “By targeting how these cancer cells generate energy through fatty-acid oxidation, we are not only addressing an unmet need for glioblastoma patients but also paving the way for broader applications in the field of oncology.”

Josh Pan, chief business development officer at Landmark BioVentures and a Numiera co-founder, added, “Our goal is clear: to move this science into the clinic and give hope to patients who currently have limited treatment options. With the orphan drug designation and investment from the state of Colorado, we are well-positioned to take the next step toward clinical trials.”

Numiera Therapeutics Inc., a client company of Fort Collins-based Innosphere and a pharmaceutical pioneer in small-molecule drugs for oncology, announced Friday, Jan. 10, that its lead candidate has received “orphan drug” designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating malignant gliomas, and that the company has been awarded 2:1 matching funds from the state of Colorado’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade.