CellCentric, a UK-based biotechnology company, announces it has received a further $3 million investment from BrightEdge LLC, the impact investment and innovation arm of the American Cancer Society (ACS). This funding follows an initial strategic investment in January 2022.

The investment will help finance further development of inobrodib, CellCentric’s first-in-class p300/CBP inhibitor to treat specific types of cancer. CellCentric's ongoing blood cancer trial (NCT04068597) involves patients with a range of haematological malignancies, with a lead application in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). 

BrightEdge supports companies with the potential for clinical and social impact. Inobrodib’s potential, in terms of clinical activity and good safety profile, allows it to be used by patients unable to tolerate other treatments, including the elderly and frail. This may represent a significant benefit over existing treatment options. It can also be taken in combination with a number of existing standard of care drugs.

Many new cancer therapeutics require significant repeat time at hospital, with a marked impact on patients’ quality of life. Inobrodib is an easy to take drug that can be self-administered at home without requiring intensive monitoring, reducing the number of hospital visits, and has the potential to support the FDA’s goal of addressing inequities in cancer care.

Alongside the additional funding, CellCentric will be expanding its outreach and engagement with patients. Both the company and the American Cancer Society share the common aim of developing novel high impact treatments for cancer, that can reach the widest communities. 

“We are pleased to support the continued development of inobrodib and its advancement through clinical trials,” said Alice Pomponio, vice president of innovation and impact investing and managing director of BrightEdge. “By meeting an unmet need whilst also offering ease of administration for vulnerable populations, CellCentric’s program aligns with our goals of improving patient outcomes and reducing inequities in care.”

“Support from the American Cancer Society is a vote of confidence in inobrodib as a treatment which is both efficacious and easy for patients to take,” says Will West, CellCentric’s CEO. “Its good safety profile and ability to reduce disruption means elderly and frail patients stand to benefit from treatment.”

CellCentric will announce expansion cohort data at the 65th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition which will take place December 9-12, 2023, in San Diego. This will include data from a trial of inobrodib to treat relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma focusing on the combination of inobrodib with pomalidomide and dexamethasone, but supporting monotherapy data also.