ULI262
The problem
Addressing an unmet need in bowel cancer prevention
Curileum discovered and is developing a novel, oral, small molecule drug that addresses the root cause of bowel cancer: abnormal cell production driving polyp formation.
Bowel cancer is one of the most common and deadly cancers worldwide. Current strategies for bowel cancer prevention rely on repeated colonoscopies and surgical removal of polyps, which are costly, invasive and burdensome for patients. Despite screening programmes, many high-risk individuals still progress to cancer.
Furthermore, the only treatment for patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) – a hereditary condition that leads to the formation of hundreds or thousands of polyps in the bowel1 – is surgical removal of the bowel, resulting in the patient needing a stoma. If left untreated, the lifetime risk of developing bowel cancer is near 100%.2
Early intervention will significantly improve patient outcomes and quality of life. For already strained healthcare systems, it will reduce demand and cost burden.
[1] https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/worried-about-cancer/causes-and-risk-factors/familial-adenomatous-polyposis-fap
[2] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16993-familial-adenomatous-polyposis-fap
Contact us to discuss potential investment opportunities
Our solution
ULI262- a first-in-class small molecule drug
Our first-in-class small molecule drug, ULI262, addresses these large, unmet needs in bowel cancer prevention, targeting FAP patients, high-risk individuals identified in screening programmes, and post-cancer treatment prone to relapse.
By re-directing precancerous cells back toward normal tissue, ULI262 may prevent progression to cancer – offering the first scalable, non-invasive pharmacological solution for bowel cancer prevention.
Curileum is currently preparing for first-in-human clinical studies to treat patients with FAP. We expect the FDA will grant Orphan drug designation for the treatment of FAP, helping to expedite the clinical trial process and accelerate the timeline to treating patients in urgent need.