Our science
Flashpoint is developing nanotherapeutic candidates that can co-deliver precise RNA, DNA and peptide payloads to the right cells at the right time.
This capability overcomes many major limitations of current therapeutics that have focused on defining potent components but cannot control how they work together. Our new approach to drug discovery can transform therapeutic components from ineffective to curative through optimized nanoscale architecture.
Flashpoint nanostructures are all-in-one formulations that kinetically tune and co-deliver diverse nucleic acid, peptide, and small molecule payloads to the right target cells with precise stoichiometry, optimized structure-function relationships, and synchronized activation kinetics.
The company’s proprietary discovery platform is founded on nanotechnology research developed over the past 10 years in the laboratory of Chad Mirkin, Director of the International Institute for Nanotechnology at Northwestern University.
Validated in numerous in-vivo models, this technology has transformed components that are ineffective in conventional formulations into curative cancer immunotherapies.
Flashpoint technology
Current Therapies
Unstructured mixture of components
Random uptake
Unstructured
Uncontrolled co-activiation
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Flashpoint Therapies
Optimized nanoscale architecture
Precise ratios
Optimized presentation
Chemically tunable kinetics
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Flashpoint’s groundbreaking nanotechnology platform enables the development of therapeutic candidates with superior product profiles by delivering:
- Precise combinations
- To >60 cell types
- With optimized structure-function relationships
- Synchronized multi-pathway activation kinetics
This capability overcomes many major limitations of current therapeutics that have focused on defining potent components but cannot control how they work together.
Flashpoint advantages
Flashpoint platform has been validated in numerous clinical and animal studies to yield drug candidates with superior product profiles.
Development candidates from the platform have been approved for human clinical testing (IND), manufactured at clinical scale under GMP conditions, and are demonstrated to be highly safe.
Flashpoint Platform
- 650% increased potency over peptide vaccine formulations
- 500% improved potency over LNP encapsulated mRNA
- 250% enhancement of checkpoint inhibitor potency
- 35x enhanced delivery to immune cells
- 80x stronger innate immune activation
- 50x improved stability in circulation
- 30x improved intracellular delivery of peptides
- 44x improved intracellular co-delivery of Cas9 and sgRNAs
- 5x improved gene silencing over lipid encapsulated siRNAs
- Uptake by >60 cell types
- Improved delivery across blood brain barrier in clinical studies
Cancer immunotherapy
Flashpoint is developing first-in-class cancer immunotherapy candidates that delivers precise cocktails of immune stimulatory molecules with nanoscale architecture and activation kinetics optimized to induce robust, coordinated anti-tumor immune response.
Across all 9 in vivo studies performed to date, Flashpoint’s approach has increased the efficacy of immuno-oncology therapeutic components, in some cases leading to curative outcomes.
Next-gen nucleic acid and peptide
nanotherapeutics
Advantages inherited in all formulations |
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The modular architecture of Flashpoint’s platform enables rapid development of novel candidates delivering combinations of any nucleic acid, peptide, or even small molecular cargo.
In vivo studies have demonstrated the ability to improve targeted delivery, potency, stability, and the safety profile of candidates delivering DNA, RNA, peptides, CRISPR, and cell targeting moieties.
Flashpoint will partner with industry leaders to bring to patients best-in-class multi-targeted RNA and peptide therapeutics.