Vortex Therapeutics, a pioneering startup developing novel cancer therapies, has been awarded first place in the highly competitive 2023 Nucleate Venture Prize competition. The distinction was granted in recognition of the company’s groundbreaking work on its first-in-class MYC inhibitor.
The company, spun out of research from Northwestern University, is developing small molecule MYC-targeting therapeutics designed to target one of oncology’s most persistent challenges. The MYC oncogene is known to be overexpressed in approximately 70% of human cancers, driving aggressive disease progression and resistance to treatment. For decades, MYC was considered “undruggable.”
Vortex Therapeutics’ lead candidate aims to finally overcome this barrier by developing a direct inhibitor that can effectively block the cancer-promoting function of the MYC protein.
The Nucleate Activator program is a student-led non-profit dedicated to empowering the next generation of biotech leaders and facilitating the formation of companies from academic research. The Venture Prize offers crucial early-stage, founder-friendly capital that is vital for running initial proof-of-concept experiments and securing intellectual property.
This recognition marks a significant milestone for Vortex Therapeutics as it moves to accelerate the preclinical development of its novel MYC inhibitor, paving the way for future clinical trials in solid tumors.