The Microcycle® platform: a unique approach to unlocking intracellular targets

A powerful platform

Advances in our understanding of disease biology have created a wealth of information about the targets and pathways that play a key role in disease initiation and progression. Curve uniquely addresses these targets and pathways through functional pooled screening inside a mammalian cell against intracellular targets, which are present in all their pharmacologically relevant forms.

Addressing targets in their native environment of a human cell has multiple advantages; for example, the target is presented in all of its dynamic and disease-relevant forms and libraries can be screened and enriched on the basis of their biological function.

Microcycles: Transforming drug discovery

Microcycles are a specific type of peptide macrocycle which have a privileged molecular scaffold that occupies distinct chemical space; they are small, rigid, fold predictably, and have a defined pharmacophore. The amalgamation of these properties generates a Structure-Activity Relationship within each screen and provides a clear path to a cyclic peptide and, potentially, small molecule drug.

The combination of functional in-cell screening, gene-encoded discovery and the unique structure of Microcycles enables the identification of functional molecules that engage transient, uncommon or allosteric sites on targets that would be invisible to conventional in vitro discovery methods.

An evolving platform

Curve’s droplet microfluidic system is the next generation of the Microcycle platform, built on the high efficiency functional screening of a Microcycle library within a single femtolitre liquid droplet. This technology is protected by international patents and patent applications.

The microfluidics platform is being further developed to allow co-encapsulation of mammalian cells with a Microcycle library within these droplets, enabling the discovery of functional hits against membrane proteins in their native conformation. The system is being further developed to screen for functional hits against non-protein targets such as RNA.

A platform built on strong foundations

IP protected

Curve’s proprietary platform is built on pioneering research by the Tavassoli lab and described in more than 30 peer-reviewed publications covering a wide range of protein-protein interactions over a 15-year period. The central components of the Microcycle screening platform are protected through international patents and patent applications and exclusively licensed to Curve.

Promising evolution

Curve’s platform is disease area agnostic and has the potential to discover both macrocycles and small molecules. It has multiple applications and Curve is open to exploring collaborative opportunities with potential partners that have a depth of knowledge in relevant target biology and expertise in drug development.

Pipeline

Curve is deploying its proprietary platform to build a pipeline of first-in-class macrocycle-derived drugs against high-priority cancer, immunology and inflammation targets.

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Publications

Curve originated from world-leading Microcycle® research conducted by Professor Tavassoli’s academic group in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Southampton, UK.

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Vision

Our passion is to transform the lives of patients by developing innovative ways to treat challenging diseases.

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