Nascent Therapeutics

Nascent Therapeutics is undertaking groundbreaking research to regulate mitochondrial transfer between cells Tackling age-related diseases including Oncology and Neurodegeneration via this novel mechanism to improve the lives of patients and enable healthy ageing. Nascent Therapeutics is a biotech based on over 15 years of research by our founders based at UEA in Norwich. We are pioneers in developing small molecule therapeutics that modulate mitochondrial transfer to treat age-related diseases. Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of aging, and their capacity to both provide energy and other critical functions decline with age. We have built a platform using primary patient cells to identify novel compounds that either promote or inhibit the uptake of healthy mitochondria from surrounding cells and the removal of damaged ones to these cells. Our founders have shown striking data in oncology, where cancer cells steal mitochondria to fuel growth, blocking this process improves survival in mouse models and others have now shown this is also a key mechanism in T-cell exhaustion and immune evasion. Other groups have demonstrated that facilitating mitochondrial transfer between neurons and microglia and astrocytes prevents neurodegeneration and improves function in models of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.