Natural killer cells can form the next generation of cancer immunotherapy, but in order to achieve this promise, they need to overcome some of the challenges of the first generation of cell therapies. These FDA-approved treatments can treat blood cancer, but solid tumors have proven to be a more difficult target. Biotechnology companies are also studying methods for mass production of cell therapies. Startup Modulus Therapeutics aims to solve these challenges, and artificial intelligence is a key part of its approach.
Max Darnell, chief scientist at Modulus, said that the mainstream method for developing cell therapies is high-throughput screening. The company screens to find a single gene that can be knocked out to improve cell behavior as a treatment. By conducting experiments, scientists can test and observe what happens-one gene at a time. But Darnell said the number of things to try is astronomical. He likened the startup’s technology to a flashlight, which can help scientists figure out where to look.
“In this very dark room, where should we go with a flashlight to find what we are looking for,” he said. “To do this, we need to light up enough rooms, see what’s there, and follow the light.”
Modulus, based in Seattle, has been incubated within the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence. The startup recently emerged from its invisibility and received $3.5 million in seed financing. Chief data scientist Bryce Daines (Bryce Daines) said that the company called its “converged design” approach combined with a variety of different technologies. Gene editing and screening capabilities allow Modulus to create thousands of custom-designed cells. These cells are then tested in animal model experiments. The output of these tests is calculated and analyzed. Machine learning interprets and predicts the impact of any unobserved or unobserved modification, which in turn helps the company determine the engineering changes needed for the next level of screening.
As an example of the types of changes Modulus will make to cells, Darnell pointed to the goal of targeting solid tumors with cell therapy. Scientists know how previous cell therapies failed in this effort. Therefore, Modulus will make changes to improve cell metabolism, the ability to track tumors, and the ability to resist immunosuppressive signals from tumors. Daines said that the results of one experiment will be the input for the next experiment. The whole process is a feedback loop. Daines said the goal is to find and identify genetic modifications in cells, making them more effective treatments, and enabling them to overcome obstacles caused by the tumor microenvironment.
“We are building a platform and a repeatable process,” he said.
Modulus is joining a growing field of companies that are chasing natural killer or NK cell therapy. In summer, Wugen continues its clinical development of NK therapy, raising US$172 million in Series B financingThe company is splitting operations between St. Louis and San Diego and is developing “off the shelf” therapies that use NK cells from healthy donors. Artiva Biotherapeutics, Launched last year With 78 million US dollars in financing, it is also looking for ready-made treatments. The San Diego-based biotechnology company generates NK cells from the cord blood of healthy donors.
Other companies are developing their treatments by using NK cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). Caribou Biosciences of Berkeley, California raised $304 million from its recent IPOSome of them are specifically used for preclinical discovery studies of iPSC-derived NK cells. The company is trying to figure out whether these cells can be edited to become cell therapies for solid tumors. In some cases, NK research is forging partnerships. In June, BeiGene paid Shoreline Biosciences US$45 million for Alliance Focus on the development of NK cell therapy using Shoreline’s technology designed for iPSC cell therapy in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Darnell declined to disclose the source of Modulus NK cells, but he added that the startup’s technology is compatible with cells from healthy donors or iPSCs. This ability may help establish partnerships with large companies. NK cells are the initial focus of Modulus. But Danes added that the startup’s technology can be applied to all types of cells. Breast cancer is the first target, which can validate the technology and enable Modulus to extend the method to other cancers.
Daines added that Modulus can develop one or two cell therapies and then bring them all the way to the market. But start-ups can also license assets or establish a partnership with a larger company as a way to develop these assets. Alternatively, the collaborative effort could contract with emerging cell therapy developers or large pharmaceutical companies that want to use Modulus technology as a way to develop their internal drug pipeline. Danes said that Modulus is building relationships with pharmaceutical companies that may become such partners.
The seed round of Modulus was led by Madrona Venture Group. Also participating in the financing are KdT Ventures and Allen Institute for AI. Darnell said that the new financing will be used to expand the team and hire employees for wet lab and computing work. The cash will also be used for experiments on the technology, and he hopes that this research will validate the technology and generate treatment candidates.
Picture from Modulus Therapeutics
