PROSION's EIC Accelerator project was designed to advance our proprietary ProM technology and strategically position the company for future growth. Our approach was structured around six work packages, with three interconnected science-focused packages being critical to enhancing the innovation of our ProM technology. The following provides a detailed overview of the work conducted within these packages.
At the heart of this project was Work Package 4, which focused on optimizing the ProM-synthesis process, enabling the upscaling of both ProMs and ProM-based drug leads. During the execution of this package, we built robust in-house capabilities and formed strategic collaborations with Contract Development & Manufacturing Organizations (CDMOs). These collaborations established clear communication channels that facilitated the transfer of technical know-how for ProM scaffold production, while rigorous quality assurance checks ensured a reliable and high-quality supply of ProMs. This, in turn, validated the synthetic capabilities of the ProM platform and set the stage for the preclinical validation of the first ProM-based inhibitor, a focus of Work Package 5.
Work Package 5 demonstrated the broad potential of the ProM platform in drug development, targeting a fundamental driver of tumor progression. This protein target is overexpressed in cancer, drives metastasis and is typically classified as "undruggable" using conventional therapeutic approaches. Through extensive lead optimization, we synthesized over 300 ProM-based inhibitors, refining their pharmacokinetics and ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity) properties. Both in vitro and in vivo studies showed that these inhibitors exhibited high affinity, specificity, and safety, with potent anti-cancer activity, particularly in aggressive cancers like pancreatic cancer and triple-negative breast cancer. At this stage, we are eager to advance this program in collaboration with a strategic partner who shares our commitment to unlock the full potential of our ProM-based inhibitors, particularly in clinical applications for hard-to-treat solid tumors.
Work Package 6 focused on advancing the ProM technology platform as a whole. Using in silico machine learning methods, we screened the human proteome and identified over 600 targets amenable to the ProM technology. These targets offer therapeutic potential not only in oncology but also for cardiometabolic diseases, chronic inflammation, and CNS disorders. This dataset initiated discussions with major pharmaceutical companies for collaboration on specific targets, exploring the potential of the ProM technology beyond oncology. Additionally, we translated the learning of our first program to establish an external collaboration focusing on infectious diseases, further validating the therapeutic potential of the ProM platform. To strengthen our internal platform capabilities, we implemented a high-throughput manufacturing process, increasing our lead structure generation capacities by more than 10-fold and expanding our library of ProM structures, significantly enhancing the diversity of our ProM structures and accelerating the discovery of novel therapeutic agents.
Overall, the successful execution of this project has significantly advanced PROSION’s ProM technology paving the way to develop novel medicines for patients.
