Cereius

Cereius, Inc. operated as a preclinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing treatments for solid tumor brain metastases. The company was founded in 2017 by Dr. Michael Zalutsky and Dr. Kimberly Blackwell. Dr. Zalutsky's background as a Professor of Radiology, Radiation Oncology, and Biomedical Engineering at Duke University, combined with Dr. Blackwell's experience as Vice President of Early Phase Development and Immuno-oncology at Lilly Oncology and an adjunct Professor of Medicine at Duke University, formed the scientific foundation of the company.

The core of Cereius's business was its proprietary radiolabeling chemistry platform, which was exclusively licensed from Duke University. This technology aimed to increase the uptake and retention of radionuclides within a target tumor, potentially by up to five times compared to existing methods, while simultaneously minimizing accumulation in healthy tissues. This was designed to significantly improve the therapeutic index and diagnostic contrast of targeting agents. The platform's modular design allowed for the swapping of various components, enabling the targeting of different types of cancers and the delivery of either radionuclide diagnostics or therapeutics. The business model centered on advancing these novel radiodiagnostics and radiotherapeutics through the preclinical pipeline to address the significant unmet need of solid tumor brain metastasis, which affects a growing number of advanced cancer patients.

In July 2018, Cereius announced the closing of a $6.75 million financing, which included a $6.5 million Series A round led by BioInnovation Capital and a $250,000 loan from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. The company was headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, operating out of BioLabs North Carolina, a coworking space for life science startups. On June 22, 2023, Cereius was acquired by Solve Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing novel antibody-based therapeutics. The acquisition was intended to bolster SolveTx's development of cancer therapeutics by integrating Cereius's radiolabeling technology platform. As part of the acquisition, Cereius shareholders were to receive an upfront payment, with potential for additional development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, as well as tiered royalties on net sales.

Keywords: radiotherapeutics, radiodiagnostics, oncology, brain metastasis, biotechnology, Duke University spin-out, radiolabeling chemistry, targeted therapy, cancer treatment, radionuclide, therapeutic index, diagnostic imaging, preclinical, drug discovery, antibody-radionuclide conjugates, solid tumors, biopharmaceutical, venture capital, acquisition, Solve Therapeutics