Cincera

Cincera Therapeutics Pty Ltd is an Australian biotechnology company analyzing treatments for inflammatory and fibrotic diseases. Incorporated in January 2018, the company operates as a spin-off from Monash University's Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) and the Centre for Cancer Biology (CCB) at the University of South Australia. The company's business model is centered on the discovery and development of novel small molecule drugs, with the goal of out-licensing or partnering with larger pharmaceutical companies for late-stage clinical trials and commercialization.

The company was co-founded by Associate Professor Bernard Flynn and Professor Stuart Pitson. Flynn, a medicinal chemist and serial entrepreneur, serves as the CEO and brings over 20 years of drug discovery experience from both academic and industrial settings. His background includes co-founding Iliad Chemicals, which merged with Bionomics Ltd, and leading research programs at MIPS focused on lipid metabolism and signalling. Pitson is a leading researcher in lipid biology and the molecular mechanisms of enzymes that control sphingolipid metabolism. His work has focused on how these pathways contribute to diseases like cancer and fibrosis, forming the scientific basis for Cincera's therapeutic approach. This collaboration combines Flynn's expertise in medicinal chemistry and drug development with Pitson's deep knowledge of disease biology.

Cincera is primarily focused on developing a first-in-class treatment for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a severe form of fatty liver disease with no approved therapies currently available. The company's core technology involves orally available inhibitors of a key enzyme, dihydroceramide desaturase (Des1), within a lipid metabolism pathway. Unlike approaches that target the quantity of fat accumulation, Cincera's method aims to modulate the *quality* of lipids in tissues to prevent lipotoxicity—the cellular damage caused by toxic fats. This approach is designed to yield potent anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects, addressing the excessive tissue scarring that leads to organ failure in diseases like NASH, chronic kidney disease, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. These drug candidates are being developed as both standalone treatments and as complementary therapies to existing metabolic disease drugs.

Upon its launch, Cincera secured AU$7 million in a Series A funding round from the Medical Research Commercialisation Fund (MRCF), managed by Brandon Capital Partners. This initial investment was intended to advance the company's lead compounds through preclinical development and select a candidate for clinical trials. In September 2020, the company received an additional $1 million in matched funding from the Australian government's Biomedical Translation Bridge (BTB) program to further progress its NASH drug development program. Keywords: Cincera Therapeutics, fibrosis treatment, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), lipid metabolism, small molecule drugs, Bernard Flynn, Stuart Pitson, drug discovery, biotechnology, Monash University spin-off, Centre for Cancer Biology, lipotoxicity, dihydroceramide desaturase inhibitors, Des1 inhibitors, anti-inflammatory therapies, metabolic diseases, chronic kidney disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, preclinical development, venture capital, Medical Research Commercialisation Fund (MRCF), Brandon Capital Partners