Upyther

Upyther B.V. is a preclinical-stage pharmaceutical company operating out of Eindhoven, the Netherlands, with a focus on transforming peritoneal cancer into a treatable disease. The company originated in 2020 as a spin-off from the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), founded by Professor Patricia Dankers, Dr. Peter-Paul Fransen, and Dr. Geert van Almen, emerging from the DankersLab research group. The founding team combines deep scientific expertise with commercialization experience; Prof. Dankers is a recognized leader in biomedical materials and supramolecular chemistry, Dr. Fransen brings over 15 years of research experience as an inventor of the core technology, and CEO Dr. van Almen holds a PhD in Medical Sciences and has over a decade of business development experience in life sciences.

The business centers on developing long-acting hydrogel-drug formulations for diseases within the peritoneal cavity, a market with significant unmet medical needs. Upyther's proprietary technology allows for a liquid drug formulation to be injected into the peritoneal cavity, where it transforms into a soft gel. This gel acts as a local drug depot, ensuring a sustained and controlled release of chemotherapeutic agents directly at the tumor sites over several days. This method aims to increase the drug's dwell time and exposure, enhancing therapeutic efficacy while minimizing systemic toxicity compared to conventional treatments like hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), which only permit short drug exposure. The company's business model is to develop and commercialize these specialty products, with a pipeline protected by patents until 2043.

The company’s lead product, UPT-211, is in preclinical development for treating peritoneal metastases originating from colorectal cancer. The market Upyther addresses is substantial, with 1.3 million patients diagnosed with peritoneal cancer worldwide annually, a number projected to grow. The company's clients are primarily healthcare providers and pharmaceutical partners within the oncology sector. Upyther generates revenue through funding and strategic partnerships and plans for a Series A funding round to advance its lead product to clinical proof of concept. The firm has successfully secured undisclosed seed financing in June 2024 from investors including Essential Investments, the Brabant Development Agency (BOM), and TTT Medtech, which will accelerate the preclinical program for UPT-211 and support preparations for first-in-human clinical trials.

Keywords: peritoneal cancer, hydrogel drug delivery, intraperitoneal therapy, controlled release, supramolecular chemistry, local chemotherapy, drug formulation, oncology therapeutics, colorectal cancer metastases, ovarian cancer metastases, biomedical materials, Eindhoven University of Technology spin-off, UPT-211, targeted drug delivery, preclinical pharma, life sciences, peritoneal carcinomatosis, sustained drug exposure, polymer technology, injectable hydrogel