Genus Overview
Genus Oncology, LLC (“Genus”) is The MUC1-C Company
MUC1 is aberrantly expressed in most human cancers, including both solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. Estimates thus indicate that MUC1 is overexpressed in ~900,000 of the newly diagnosed cancers each year in the US. This prevalence supports why the NCI has ranked MUC1 as one of the most attractive antigen/targets in the fight against cancer. Despite this attention, there are currently no FDA-approved agents that target MUC1, which was due historically to a limited understanding of how MUC1 functions in causing cancer.
Genus Oncology was formed to advance the seminal work of Professor Donald Kufe at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, who has devoted much of his career to understanding MUC1 function and the role it plays in cancer. Dr. Kufe and the Genus researchers have contributed to the following discoveries that have advanced the MUC1 field:
Based on these discoveries, Genus Oncology has developed first-in-class peptide-and antibody-based drugs against this novel target. Our peptide-based drug, GO-203, is currently in a Phase 2 clinical trial in combination with decitabine for patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at Harvard’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Additionally, our antibodies against MUC1-C are being developed for ADC, ADCC, and other immuno-oncology based approaches.
MUC1 is aberrantly expressed in most human cancers, including both solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. Estimates thus indicate that MUC1 is overexpressed in ~900,000 of the newly diagnosed cancers each year in the US. This prevalence supports why the NCI has ranked MUC1 as one of the most attractive antigen/targets in the fight against cancer. Despite this attention, there are currently no FDA-approved agents that target MUC1, which was due historically to a limited understanding of how MUC1 functions in causing cancer.
Genus Oncology was formed to advance the seminal work of Professor Donald Kufe at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, who has devoted much of his career to understanding MUC1 function and the role it plays in cancer. Dr. Kufe and the Genus researchers have contributed to the following discoveries that have advanced the MUC1 field:
- MUC1 is a complex of two subunits (MUC1-N and MUC1-C)
- MUC1-C is a cancer causing protein.
- MUC1-C is necessary for growth and survival of carcinoma and leukemia stem-like cells.
- MUC1-C promotes evasion of cancer cells to immune recognition and destruction
- MUC1-C is a target for the development of new anti-cancer agents.
Based on these discoveries, Genus Oncology has developed first-in-class peptide-and antibody-based drugs against this novel target. Our peptide-based drug, GO-203, is currently in a Phase 2 clinical trial in combination with decitabine for patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at Harvard’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Additionally, our antibodies against MUC1-C are being developed for ADC, ADCC, and other immuno-oncology based approaches.
