Avacta : Research and Development Spotlight Series – Episode 1

Avacta Group plc is a United Kingdom-based life sciences company focused on improving healthcare outcomes through targeted cancer treatments and diagnostics. The Company has two segments: Therapeutics and Diagnostics. The Therapeutics segment is a clinical stage oncology biotech division harnessing therapeutic platforms to develop novel, highly targeted cancer drugs. The Diagnostics segment is focused on supporting healthcare professionals and broadening access to diagnostics. It has two platforms: preICISION and Affimer. The Company's preICISION platform is a highly specific substrate for fibroblast activation protein (FAP) which is upregulated in most solid tumors compared with healthy tissues. The preICISION platform harnesses this tumor specific protease to activate preICISION peptide drug conjugates and preICISION antibody/Affimer drug conjugates in the tumor microenvironment. Its lead preICISION program AVA6000, a peptide drug conjugate form of doxorubicin, is in Phase 1 studies.