Pfizer to Access Novel Technology Platform with Acquisition of Serenex

Pfizer, Inc. (New York, NY) will acquire Serenex, Inc. (Durham, NC), a biotechnology company with a Phase 1 clinical candidate and an extensive compound library that targets Heat Shock Protein 90 (Hsp90), a target in the fight against cancer.

Under the agreement, Pfizer will acquire the rights to SNX-5422, an oral Hsp90 inhibitor that is currently in Phase 1 trials for the potential treatment of solid tumors and hematological malignancies. Pfizer will also acquire Serenex’s proprietary drug discovery technology and extensive small molecule Hsp90 inhibitor compound library. Compounds from this library have potential uses in treating diseases such as cancer, and inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases.

Hsp90 is an important molecular chaperone protein that regulates the folding and degradation of client proteins involved in cell growth and survival. These signaling proteins play key roles in cancer, inflammatory diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. The potential of this drug class in many other therapeutic indications is yet to be fully explored.

Serenex discovered its small molecule Hsp90 inhibitors using a proprietary high–content screening platform that enabled the company to rapidly and simultaneously optimize libraries of compounds against a multitude of important therapeutic and toxicity targets. This novel technology improved the overall efficiency of its drug discovery work by dramatically improving library screening, mechanism of action determination and toxicity testing, lead optimization, and candidate selection.

Pfizer release