SyzOnc
Aligned against cancer: A new systems-level approach to cancer therapeutics
Location:
United States
Founded:
2023
Team Size:
3
Industry:
Pharmaceuticals, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Life Sciences, Biotechnology
Founders:
Anne Carpenter, PhD, Scientific Advisor
Karin Eisinger, PhD, CEO
Ashley Fuller, PhD, CSO
About:
SyzOnc aims to develop therapies for cancer patients who have no effective treatment options. Grounded in world-class oncology and machine learning research from Penn and the Broad Institute, we are targeting matrix-rich solid tumors by tackling multi-faceted protein targets.
Describe your startup. What is your startup's mission, and what problem are you solving and who are your customers?
SyzOnc aims to develop therapies for cancer patients who have no effective treatment options. Grounded in world-class oncology and machine learning research from Penn and the Broad Institute, we are targeting matrix-rich solid tumors by tackling multi-faceted protein targets.
Who are the founders, and what sparked the idea for this venture?
Dr. Eisinger and Fuller of Penn built their careers studying cancer and recently discovered novel mechanisms of the tumor microenvironment that they believed could produce therapeutics for solid tumors that actually work. After collaborating with Dr. Carpenter at Broad to rapidly identify promising compounds to target these mechanisms, the trio decided they didn’t want to just study cancer anymore, they wanted to cure it. SyzOnc was born, because we are aligned against cancer.
What makes your product or service unique in the market?
Many cancer therapies have failed, or provide only short-term respite, because they only target a single cancer-related function. We discovered multi-faceted proteins that impact three functions: cancer cell growth, immune function, and the tumor's protein matrix - we aim to target these proteins to find effective drugs for solid tumors.
What milestones have you achieved so far if any, and where do you see your startup in the next 2-5 years?
We identified promising compounds for two novel protein cancer targets that we aim to develop into drugs. We opened our lab with 3 personnel in April 2024 and plan to push these compounds to proof of principle and ultimately to human clinical trials.
What defines your company culture, and what type of talent are you looking for?
SyzOnc is built on integrated data science and oncology from the ground up
Are you currently open to investments or partnerships?
We are raising $3M in angel and early-stage VC funding in our pre-seed round.
How can interested investors, partners, or potential employees get involved or learn more?
Contact our CEO Dr. Karin Eisinger at Karin Eisinger <karin.eisinger@syzonc.com>
What were the best and worst pieces of advice you received as a founder?
Worst feedback: “We don’t invest in cancer anymore”. Many cancer therapeutics have been disappointing but that is why we are taking a new approach: attacking the tumor’s protein-rich microenvironment, which past therapeutics have ignored. The unmet medical need in solid tumors is extreme and the market size tops $75 billion, making it worth the risk to invest in this space.
Best advice: “Push as fast as you can to prove your hypothesis.” We are speeding towards testing our new molecules to demonstrate our approach to cancer therapy will truly be game-changing.