Cyclacel's Mechanistic Approach to R&D

Cyclacel does not have a late-stage or marketed product. But a singular focus on the biology of the cell cycle, a strong early-stage pipeline and a set of broadly applicable biomarker technologies that may minimize development risk has kept investors interested. Cyclacel has been able to complement its internal pipeline with two recent in-licensing deals, and as capital cautiously returns to European biotech, the company expects to leverage its approach to build value not only in cancer but in other proliferative diseases as well.

Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals Inc. has always been a product play. Since its foundation in 1996 the Scottish biotech has focused on R&D of cell-cycle modulating compounds, building on the pioneering discoveries of CSO and founder David Lane, PhD. And in this single-mindedness is Cyclacel's staying power. "We weren't the most interesting game in town in 2000" when the genomics revolution attracted most VC funding to platforms, "but that's the way it works," says Cyclacel CEO Spiro Rombotis.

Indeed, even during the sobering genomic aftermath, when investor interest switched to late-stage products, Cyclacel didn't jump on that bandwagon...

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