What's Happening?
Scripta Therapeutics, an Oxford-based techbio company, has announced a $12 million seed funding round led by Oxford Science Enterprises and Apollo Health Ventures. The company aims to develop transformative
therapeutics by focusing on transcription factors, which are key controllers of gene expression. Scripta's approach combines AI, imaging, and patient-derived models to create disease maps based on transcriptional networks. The initial focus is on Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, in collaboration with Professor Noel Buckley from the University of Oxford. The funding will support Scripta's efforts to identify drugs that can halt or reverse disease progression.
Why It's Important?
The development of drugs targeting transcription factors represents a significant shift in drug discovery, potentially offering new treatments for diseases that currently have limited options. By focusing on the underlying biological mechanisms, Scripta Therapeutics aims to deliver therapies that can stop disease progression, rather than merely managing symptoms. This approach could lead to breakthroughs in treating neurodegenerative diseases, which are a growing concern as the population ages. The success of Scripta's platform could pave the way for similar strategies in other disease areas, potentially transforming patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.
What's Next?
Scripta Therapeutics plans to begin production of its new platform next month, with the potential for pre-orders from interested companies. The company will demonstrate its technology at the Formnext event in Germany, showcasing its ability to produce components for various industries, including military and disaster response. The successful deployment of Scripta's platform could lead to increased interest from defense companies and other sectors that require rapid, on-site manufacturing capabilities.
