Our Science
The Current Gap
High incidence rate for AML,
especially in >60 yrs population
Poor Overall survival rate
for AML patients
median survival for all subtypes
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) remains a challenging disease with poor long-term outcomes despite significant advancements in treatment. While new therapies, such as FLT3 inhibitors and venetoclax-based regimens, have improved initial response rates, durable remissions and long-term survival remain elusive, particularly for older or unfit patients who cannot tolerate intensive chemotherapy or stem cell transplants.
A major obstacle in AML treatment is the persistence of leukemic stem cells (LSCs), which are resistant to conventional therapies due to their quiescent nature, enhanced DNA repair mechanisms, and drug resistance. While treatments can often eliminate the bulk of leukemic cells and induce remission, the survival of LSCs leads to eventual relapse, as these cells repopulate the bone marrow. Additionally, the genetic heterogeneity of AML, the relatively low mutational burden compared to solid tumors and dysfunctional state of immune cells in relapse setting limit the effectiveness of targeted therapies and immunotherapies.
Thus, despite recent progress, long-term disease control remains a significant unmet need, highlighting the urgency for new strategies specifically designed to eliminate LSCs and address therapy-resistant disease to improve survival outcomes.
Our Breakthrough Approach
Cycuria Therapeutics is revolutionizing blood cancer treatment with our proprietary engineered cytokines that directly and specifically target leukemic cells and their progenitor stem cells, while preserving healthy blood formation and minimizing systemic toxicity. Our founders have unraveled a unique mechanism of action of a human cytokine that specifically induces death and differentiation of leukemic tumor cells and their progenitors (leukemic stem cells), while preserving, and even boosting, the healthy blood cells.
We are leveraging cutting-edge protein engineering techniques to modify such key cytokines, creating therapies that:
- Selectively bind to and target leukemic cells and their progenitors
- Maintain their anti-tumor immune-stimulating properties
- Exhibit extended half-life for sustained therapeutic effects
- Demonstrate minimal impact on healthy blood cells and tissues
Furthermore, we are exploring to extend the underlying therapeutic rationale to a broader range of indications, including major solid cancer types.
Our Key Differentiators
Unlike traditional cytokine therapies that broadly affect the immune system, our engineered cytokines:
- Directly target leukemic tumor cells and their stem cell progenitors
- Preserve healthy blood cell formation
- Offer a unique dual-action approach: direct anti-tumor effects and immune system activation
- Minimize systemic toxicity
This breakthrough approach allows for more targeted, effective, and safer treatment of hematological malignancies, and potentially other hard-to-treat tumor types.