Turning cancer cell dependencies into targeted therapies

Beyond Biotech - the podcast from Labiotech Welcome to the official Labiotech.eu podcast - Beyond Biotech! Each week, we talk about what's happening in the world of biotech, with news and interviews with experts from companies around the world. Join us as we cover the latest news, breakthroughs and innovations shaping the life sciences industry.A new podcast episode is available every Friday. The host is Dylan Kissane. Beyond Biotech - the podcast from Labiotech Turning cancer cell dependencies into targeted therapies Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward. Today I’m delighted to welcome Andy Parker, CEO of Step Pharma. With over 25 years of experience across AstraZeneca, Shire, Zealand Pharma, and venture capital, Andy has led Step Pharma since 2019. The company is pioneering a targeted approach to cancer and blood disorders by inhibiting the enzyme CTPS1. Their lead candidate, dencatistat, blocks this pathway that certain cancer cells and activated immune cells rely on, while sparing healthy cells that use the related CTPS2 enzyme. In this episode, we’ll dive into the science behind this mechanism, explore Step Pharma’s expanding pipeline from lymphomas and solid tumours to essential thrombocythaemia, and discuss their recent €38 million Series C financing. We’ll also look ahead to the future of precision oncology. - 01:17 Meet Andy Parker - 06:12 The biotech ecosystem around Geneva - 07:51 The CTPS1 enzyme and why cancer cells depend on it - 14:08 Pipeline-in-a-product strategy across three indications - 20:14 The series C: €38 million raise - 25:41 Partnering with big pharma: possibilities and limits - 28:11 The future of precision oncology and metabolic targeting Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletter To dive deeper into the topic: