Signet Therapeutics

Signet Therapeutics focuses on developing targeted cancer therapies using organoid disease models and AI. The company's primary focus is on diffuse gastric cancer (DGC), a subtype of gastric cancer that has been historically challenging to treat due to its high invasiveness and poor response to conventional treatments. Its lead drug candidate, sigx1094, received FDA approval for its Investigational New Drug (IND) application in July 2024, making it the world's first targeted therapy for DGC. Following the approval, the company was prepared to commence Phase I clinical trials to assess the treatment's safety and efficacy against DGC and other advanced solid tumors.

The company's approach combines its proprietary organoid disease model platform with AI-driven drug discovery, which has significantly accelerated the drug development process. The organoid disease models, developed from real-world cancer genomics data, simulate drug effects in 3D tissues that closely resemble human biology, potentially increasing the likelihood of clinical trial success.

Beyond DGC, sigx1094 has shown promise in preclinical studies for treating various cancers, including ovarian, triple-negative breast, and pancreatic cancers. It has also demonstrated potential in combination therapies, particularly with chemotherapy and targeted treatments for KRAS-mutated and EGFR-mutated cancers.

Key customers and partnerships

In 2020, Signet Therapeutics entered a research collaboration with AI-based drug developer XtalPi on gastric oncology, which resulted in the identification of a new preclinical candidate. The collaboration was extended in October 2021 to include a new first-in-class program against a new target identified by Signet.