SpringWorks Therapeutics launched to progress investigational therapies for patients with unmet medical needs

LONDON – 25 September 2017 – SpringWorks Therapeutics, a new company that aims to progress promising investigational therapies to help patients with unmet medical needs, has launched today. The company is a collaboration between LifeArc (the UK medical research charity formerly known as MRC Technology), Pfizer, Bain Capital Life Sciences, Bain Capital Double Impact and OrbiMed.

SpringWorks Therapeutics will develop new medicines in various therapeutic areas, focusing on diseases where there is an urgent need and the greatest potential to make a positive change for patients.

Pfizer has out-licensed four experimental therapies to SpringWorks, which could lead to new treatments for desmoid tumours, neurofibromatosis, hereditary xerocystosis and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Lara S. Sullivan, President of SpringWorks Therapeutics and a former Vice President at Pfizer, said, “We have initially licensed rights to four very promising experimental therapies and, over time, plan to expand our pipeline by partnering with other life science companies and academic institutions who share in our mission.”

Creating collaborations to progress new treatments is at the core of LifeArc’s new strategy to make a greater impact for patients through the application of science.

“There is a critical need for new treatments, and by working together we can identify sound scientific projects that have stalled for various reasons and progress them into new drugs.  LifeArc has successfully fostered collaborations to progress new therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, and we are pleased to apply this experience to help more patients benefit from medical science advances,” said Mike Johnson, Executive Director, Business Development at LifeArc.

LifeArc launched the Neurodegeneration Medicines Acceleration programme in 2014, a consortium aimed at uncovering promising drugs in pharma libraries and develop them towards clinical trials. The charity also launched the Dementia Consortium with charity and pharma partners; the Consortium is currently progressing five projects to find much needed new treatments for the millions of people affected.

SpringWorks was launched with $103 million Series A funding from its partners.

Read the launch news release.