Forma, Cancer Research partner on DUBs

Forma Therapeutics Holdings LLC (Watertown, Mass.) partnered with Cancer Research Technology Ltd. (London, U.K.) -- the commercial arm of the not-for-profit Cancer Research U.K. -- to develop compounds against deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) for cancer indications. Forma will work with an initial group of five academic investigators from Cancer Research U.K., who will assist in the selection of screening and secondary characterization assays for DUBs. Forma will develop and provide compounds, as well as undisclosed research funding and milestones. Forma will create up to 10 virtual subsidiaries -- called Asset Discovery and Development Companies (ADDCos) -- to house the projects. DUBs are involved in maintaining cellular protein homeostasis.

This is the first deal under Forma's ADDCos initiative, which the company launched last month. Under the initiative, Forma is creating virtual companies to partner with academic, not-for-profit and venture philanthropy institutions to translate basic science research into therapies. ...