Lengo Therapeutics

Lengo Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company founded in 2020, specialized in developing precision medicines for oncology. The company focused on creating novel, small-molecule precision therapeutics designed to target driver mutations in cancer. Lengo Therapeutics was founded by Tracy Saxton and was led by CEO Enoch Kariuki. The firm operated out of San Diego, California, and was backed by investors including Frazier Healthcare Partners and Velosity Capital.

The company's primary initiative was the development of inhibitors for protein kinases with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations, which are linked to poor prognoses in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and other solid tumors. Its lead compound, LNG-451, is an oral precision therapy developed for the treatment of NSCLC in patients with these specific mutations. Preclinical data indicated that LNG-451 potently inhibits common EGFR exon 20 insertion variants with high selectivity and is highly brain-penetrant, showing significant activity in preclinical models of intracranial disease.

In November 2021, Blueprint Medicines announced its definitive agreement to acquire Lengo Therapeutics, a deal that was finalized in December 2021. The acquisition was valued at $250 million in cash upfront, with an additional $215 million in potential milestone payments based on regulatory and sales achievements. The acquisition was intended to bolster Blueprint Medicines' pipeline in precision oncology, particularly for EGFR-driven lung cancer. Following the acquisition, Lengo Therapeutics submitted an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for LNG-451 to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2021.

Keywords: precision oncology, biopharmaceutical, small molecule therapeutics, driver mutations, non-small cell lung cancer, EGFR exon 20 insertion, kinase inhibitors, LNG-451, oncology drug development, cancer therapies, Blueprint Medicines, Frazier Healthcare Partners, covalent drug technology, solid tumors