Amphista Therapeutics

Company Overview

Amphista Therapeutics is a discovery and early clinical-stage biotech developing small-molecule therapeutics that selectively degrade disease-causing proteins. Its strategy centers on expanding the scope of targeted protein degradation beyond first-generation approaches.

The company’s approach is based on inducing or stabilizing interactions between proteins to trigger their degradation, rather than simply inhibiting their function. This enables targeting of proteins that are difficult or impossible to address with conventional small molecules or biologics.

Amphista operates as a platform-driven company, combining internal pipeline development with strategic partnerships to advance its technology and programs.

Headquarters and Global Presence

• headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom
• located at Granta Park within the UK’s “golden triangle” biotech cluster

The company operates within a highly concentrated life sciences ecosystem and collaborates internationally with pharmaceutical partners.

Founding and History

• founded in 2017–2018 based on academic research in targeted protein degradation
• scientific co-founder: Alessio Ciulli, a leading researcher in TPD

Amphista was established to build on advances in chemical biology and protein degradation, with a focus on developing differentiated mechanisms beyond early PROTAC technologies.

The company has raised over $60 million in venture funding from investors including Forbion, Gilde Healthcare and Advent Life Sciences.

Therapy Areas and Focus

Amphista develops therapies across multiple disease areas driven by protein dysregulation.

Key areas include:

• oncology
• neurodegenerative diseases
• immunology and inflammatory disorders

The company prioritizes targets that are difficult to address using traditional drug discovery approaches.

Technology Platforms and Modalities

The company’s platform is centered on targeted protein degradation.

Key components include:

• Eclipsys™ drug discovery platform
• targeted glue (molecular glue) degraders
• small-molecule therapeutics designed to induce protein degradation
• AI-enabled and structure-based drug design

Amphista’s approach differs from earlier TPD strategies by using sequentially bifunctional “targeted glues,” which expand the range of proteins that can be degraded and may reduce resistance mechanisms.

Key Pipeline and Programs

AMX-883

• Modality: targeted glue degrader
• Indication focus: acute myeloid leukemia (BRD9 target)
• Status: preparing for IND / early clinical development
• Mechanism: selective degradation of BRD9 protein involved in cancer biology

SMARCA2 degrader program

• Modality: targeted protein degrader
• Indication focus: oncology
• Status: preclinical development

TEAD degrader program

• Modality: targeted glue degrader
• Indication focus: oncology
• Status: preclinical development

Additional programs

• Modality: targeted protein degraders
• Indication focus: oncology and CNS disorders
• Status: discovery and preclinical stages

The pipeline is primarily early stage, with multiple programs emerging from the company’s platform.

Key Personnel

• Louise Modis, Chief Executive Officer
• Patrick Kelly, Chief Medical Officer

The leadership team includes experts in protein degradation, medicinal chemistry and clinical drug development.

Strategic Partnerships

Amphista operates with a partnership-driven model.

Key collaborations include:

• Merck (MSD), research collaboration in targeted protein degradation
• Bristol Myers Squibb, collaboration for discovery and development of TPD therapeutics

Under these agreements, Amphista typically leads discovery and early development, while partners take responsibility for later-stage development and commercialization.

FAQ Section