Solve Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company developing novel antibody-based therapeutics, acquired Cereius Inc., a private company developing next-generation targeted radio diagnostics and radiotherapeutics for cancer patients.

In a statement, SolveTx said that it will continue to refine the chemistry platform while developing targeted radionuclide therapeutics and evaluating companion radio diagnostics for use together with other types of targeted cancer therapeutics. The company is building out a R&D team led by Jeffrey Schaal, senior vice president, theragnostics, who is transitioning from Cereius to SolveTx. The company is also investing in research facilities located at the recently completed Biolabs NC Gradlab building in Durham, NC to support this development initiative.

“Through the pioneering work of Duke University researchers and our early investment in the company, Cereius has built a conjugation chemistry platform that can be deployed with site-specific labeling,” said Eric Linsley, a general partner at Mission BioCapital and board member of Cereius. “But this is just one possible application of the developed modular chemistry platform; swapping out the various components of the assembly allows for targeting of multiple types of cancers and delivering radionuclide diagnostics or therapeutics. This acquisition complements Duke University and Cereius innovations with extensive SolveTx drug development expertise.”

“We are excited to include the Cereius platform in our growing toolbox for developing cutting-edge oncology therapeutics,” said Dave Johnson, CEO of SolveTx. “Cereius technology has strong potential for expanding the utility of existing targeting antibodies and nanobodies. These next-generation radiolabeling chemistries and technology offer the potential to develop whole-body, contemporaneous imaging for patient selection in conjunction with the development of SolveTx targeted treatments and to provide value enhancement for partnering oncology companies seeking life-cycle product management opportunities.”