Science and Technology
Dual SMAD Inhibiting Proteins (DSIPs) are a group of ancient growth factors, conserved across species, that interfere with a cell’s ability to receive ligand-induced BMP and Activin programs. Our co-founders discovered their existence at Stanford University where they used state-of-the-art single cell technologies to understand why current drugs fail to cure breast cancer (Zabala, Lobo, Antony et al. Cell Stem Cell 2020).
Diseased cells abusively secrete DSIPs to continuously reprogram themselves to proliferate. Every disease has a unique DSIP expression profile.
Neutralizing DSIP activity is a totally new approach to treating diseases. In vivo experiments have validated Onena´s approach, proving that disruption of a DSIP’s activity with a neutralizing antibody reprograms cancer cells to accept environmental cell death signals from BMPs and Activins.
Cancer
Each cancer type (colorectal, breast, lung, etc.) secretes a unique DSIP profile. An anti-DSIP neutralizing antibody given to a cancer patient reprograms the cancer cells, resulting in the cancer being extinguished.
Anemia
20% of the world suffers from anemia, some of which are the result of a red blood cells that get “stuck” in an immature state becuase they make too much of a DSIP. An anti-DSIP antibody has the potential to restore red blood cell function by forcing the immature cells to make mature ones.
Platform
Our proprietary platform connects artificially intelligent antibody design to functional DSIP neutralization. The result is a streamlined drug discovery process that quickly and cheaply identifies the best anti-DSIP antibody drugs.