Leading a revolution in biological drug discovery.
Pipeline
Using our directed evolution technology, we are developing biological drug candidates with an initial therapeutic focus on liver-related diseases.
Best-in-Class therapies that address the poor side effect profiles of existing FDA-approved therapies for targets with well-understood biology.
First-in-class therapies for targets that are viewed as undruggable with conventional small molecule drugs.
Our Targets
Best-in-Class
PPAR-gamma
Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma
Transcription factor that regulates adipogenesis, metabolism, and anti-inflammatory pathways.
Description
Well-understood biology with two FDA-approved small molecule agonists: rosiglitazone and pioglitazone.
Status
Current small molecule drugs induce undesired downstream cell signals when PPAR-gamma is activated resulting in side effects such as weight gain, edema (heart failure), bone loss/fracture, bladder cancer, liver toxicity.
Challenge
Opportunity
Develop a biologic agonist that favors downstream cell signaling activity for PPAR-gamma associated with therapeutic efficacy rather than pathways associated with side effects including fluid retention and adipogenesis.
Indications
Priority indications include T2DM, NFALD, NASH, and liver fibrosis.
AMPK
5’ Adenosine Monophosphate-activated Protein Kinase
Description
Kinase that restores cellular energy balance by activating catabolic and inhibiting anabolic pathways.
Status
Highly characterized biology with some related FDA approved drugs such as metformin.
Existing approaches to activating AMPK can include certain cardiac side effects including cardiac hypertrophy and arrhythmias.
Challenge
Opportunity
Create an isoform specific activator focusing on the beta-1 isoform while sparing the alpha-2 and beta-2 isoforms to achieve the desirable therapeutic effects related to gluconeogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, and lipogenesis while avoiding the cardiac risks of pan-AMPK activators.
Priority indications include MASH, Type 2 Diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
Indications
Our Targets
First-in-Class
HNF4-alpha
Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 Alpha
Transcription factor that is essential for maintaining hepatocyte differentiation and metabolic homeostasis.
Description
Well understood biology that has been undruggable with conventional small molecule agonists.
Status
This target has been undruggable with small molecule drug candidates due to a shallow, hydrophobic binding pocket and a lack of correlation between certain ligand binding and activity modulation.
Challenge
Develop a biologic that restores HNF4-alpha to treat chronic liver diseases, promote liver regeneration, and maintain hepatocyte function after injury.
Opportunity
Priority indications include MODY, MASH, NFALD, and liver fibrosis.
Indications
PRIORITY TARGETS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON ONGOING RESEARCH ACTIVITIES.
Technology
Real directed evolution for real drug discovery.
Our directed evolution technology, VEGAS, is uniquely capable of harnessing the power of natural selection to optimize biological drug candidates across a wide range of targets and indications.
How It Works
Design a selection circuit using the Transcriptional Response Element Massively Parallel Reporter Assay based on downstream cell signaling events for the target that are associated with desired therapeutic outcomes.
1
Design the selection circuit
Run successive rounds of in-vitro directed evolution over the course of a week using the VEGAS directed evolution platform with increasingly restrictive selection conditions.
2
Run the directed evolution campaign
3
Pick your winners
Analyze sequenced data of prolific, evolved drug candidates to determine the optimal compositions for validation.
Company
Evolution Bio is using its directed evolution platform technology to lead a revolution in biological drug discovery.
We’re Hiring!
We are currently hiring for several research positions. If you like what you see, please send us your information at hello@evobio.com.