Expanding the frontiers of synthetic lethality

Better molecules, by design

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What we do

Evariste is an AI-enabled Drug Discovery company

We develop small molecule therapeutics targeting
synthetic lethal pathways in oncology

Novel Targets

We discover novel synthetic lethal targets and biomarkers, tailoring treatment to underserved patients in an industry fixated on the same old approaches

Better Molecules

Our automated modeling designs high quality, differentiated small molecule candidates at unprecedented scale, speed, and efficiency

Platform

Frobenius is Evariste's AI drug discovery platform

Using Frobenius, we de-risk and progress projects with unrivaled efficiency

Each stage of our platform has been validated in challenging internal and collaborative projects

Frobenius Target

Biomarker-led approaches to target discovery greatly enhance the chances of clinical success. At Evariste, we use our platform to identify novel targets and new biomarkers for known targets by integrating multi-modal data with AI-driven techniques. Our proprietary algorithms sift through large, noisy multi-omic datasets — including both proprietary and public data — to uncover novel, druggable, and actionable targets.

The platform is ideally suited to identify synthetic lethal relationships, an untapped resource in oncology. Targets discovered by Evariste are validated in disease-relevant models to ensure clinical relevance, while patient populations are identified to determine who benefits most. So far, we've found multiple novel synthetic lethal targets with early in vitro validation, as well as biomarkers for clinically validated targets that help differentiate patient populations.

Frobenius Discovery

We start by using various hit-finding techniques, from trillion-compound virtual screens to covalent fragments, to identify novel hits, including for previously undrugged target families. Our proprietary algorithms accelerate the identification of promising hits and streamline downstream development. Unlike conventional deep learning, our machine learning models excel with small, noisy datasets.

After identifying successful hits, we design and score novel indication-agnostic small molecules at a scale beyond human capability. Using probabilistic modeling for multi-parameter optimization across potency, selectivity, and pharmacokinetics, we prioritize drug candidates for testing and reduce preclinical risks.

By combining wet-lab and in silico data, we generate new structures and use statistical techniques to prioritize candidates, achieving a 10-fold potency increase with just 30 compounds tested. Our platform efficiently designs synthetically accessible molecules, reaching best-in-class potency and selectivity in under 50 compounds for one project.

Pipeline

Using Frobenius, we have developed a pipeline of precision oncology therapeutics

Our pipeline features best-in-class inhibitors of validated synthetic lethal targets expanded to new indications, and first-in-class inhibitors of novel targets

PKMYT1 inhibitor

Targeting PKMYT1 drives synthetic lethality in cancer cells with high replication stress. We have identified and validated a novel biomarker for PKMYT1 inhibition sensitivity, with an expanded and differentiated patient population, and designed novel, inhibitors with high potency, selectivity and in vivo efficacy.

VRK1 inhibitor

VRK1 inhibition is synthetic lethal with VRK2 under-expression. We have identified and validated this synthetic lethal relationship, implicating VRK1 as a highly ranked target in glioblastoma and neuroblastoma. There are no clinical competitors for this target, and we have designed potent inhibitors optimized for CNS permeability.

Novel SL Target inhibitor

Undisclosed metabolic enzyme target for heavily pretreated hematological malignancies. We have identified a new synthetic lethal target present in a subset of acute myeloid leukemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients, as well as in HR-deficient solid tumors. We have designed the first ever inhibitors for this target.

Early
Discovery
Hit-to-Lead
Lead
Optimization
IND
Enabling
Ownership
PKMYT1
Novel SL Biomarker
Evariste
VRK1
VRK2-low Cancers
Evariste
Novel SL Target
Haem Malignancies
Evariste
10+ Synthetic Lethals
Multiple Indications
Evariste
Team

We are an exceptional team with expertise spanning drug discovery, mathematics and AI

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Board of Directors

We are advised by a board of world-class scientists and visionary leaders, each bringing unparalleled expertise and commitment to Evariste

Mike Waring is Chair of Medicinal Chemistry at Newcastle University and Head of Chemistry for the Cancer Research UK Newcastle Drug Discovery Unit and Director of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Molecular Sciences. He was Principal Scientist in Medicinal Chemistry at AstraZeneca, where he led the TagrissoⓇ chemistry teams. He is a highly experienced medicinal chemist with a track record of delivering drug-discovery projects through the clinic.

Mike Waring
SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR

Olivia Rossanese is Director of Drug Discovery and Head of Division for Cancer Therapeutics at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), and was previously a member of GSK’s TafinlarⓇ discovery team. Olivia has extensive experience leading and contributing to discovery and target validation programmes, as well as identification of tool molecules, lead compounds, clinical candidates.

Olivia Rossanese
SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR

Ollie Watson received his PhD in Number Theory from University of Pennsylvania and has since worked in finance at D. E. Shaw and Tudor Capital, where he led a quantitative research team. He is an expert on optimization and statistical modeling in low signal-to-noise environments, and has taught courses on fitting predictive Bayesian models on noisy data.

Oliver Watson
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Xavier Jacq currently serves as the CSO of Moa Technology. He was Co-founder of Mission Therapeutics, former VP of Biology at Almac Discovery, and former SVP at Dunad Therapeutics. With over 20 years of experience in the biotech industry, Xavier has been instrumental in driving innovative research and development in the field of therapeutic discovery.

Xavier Jacq
SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR

Zoë Walters is a lecturer in translational epigenomics in the school of Cancer Sciences and is a Module Lead on the MSc Genomics course within the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southampton. Zoë is a highly experienced cancer biologist whose expertise lies in target identification and validation in cancer and developmental disorders. Zoë has 18+ years' experience in molecular genetics, developmental biology, and cancer biology.

Zoë Walters
SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR

Nicholas Firth studied for his PhD in Chemoinformatics at the Institute of Cancer Research, where he developed de novo design software that implemented a fragment-based approach to explore chemical space. Nick has a deep understanding of many computational chemistry algorithms, feature engineering and machine learning for molecules.

Nicholas Firth
DIRECTOR

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News & updates

Stay updated with Evariste's blogposts

News & updates

Stay updated with Evariste's blogposts

News & updates

Stay updated with Evariste's blogposts